A Place Called Home
by SpectraVondergeist
Summary: In the sequel to "In a Perfect World," Stef reminisces about Callie, now a high school senior, as she prepares to leave the nest. Meanwhile, she realizes just how much her daughter still needs her in the wake of a danger she never saw coming (Mostly Stef and Callie). Trigger warning: dating violence
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I don't own The Fosters or any of the characters. This is a sequel to one of my other stories, **_In A Perfect World_**. If you read that story, you know that Stef found Callie before she got herself arrested, and brought her home. Because of this, a chain of events never played out: Callie never went back to juvie, never ended up at Girls United, and never heard of the Independent Living Program. Because of this, Brandon never had a reason to hold back his piano money, and never got mixed up with Vico. However, in this story, Vico will still find a way to wreak havoc on the Adams-Foster family.**

Chapter 1.

Stef carried a basket of laundry, still warm from the dryer, into her bedroom. She dumped the contents on her bed, and began folding each garment, sorting them by which child they belonged to as she worked.

As she picked up one of Callie's shirts, her finger went through a hole in the shoulder. She wiggled her finger through the tear and smiled for a moment, thinking about the day Lena brought their eldest daughter into their home. Folding laundry always reminded her of the day they met Callie.

Callie was angry, scared, and alone that day, with not much more than the clothes on her back, and a cocky attitude that couldn't hide the desperation in her eyes as hard as she tried. Stef had given Callie a pair of her own pajamas that evening, so she'd have something to wear to bed. Then, she had taken the young girl's bundle of raggedy clothes to wash. She remembered folding them that night, as she and Lena wrestled with the decision of whether or not they should keep the troubled teen

Now, two years later, she thankful they did. Callie, with her sad brown eyes and wisdom beyond her years, had won her heart. She couldn't imagine their lives without Callie and Jude. Looking back on that day, it was amazing how far their daughter had come. She was now a high school senior, just shy of her eighteenth birthday, about to graduate. Stef often wondered what would have become of Callie if she hadn't found a permanent home with them. Although, she didn't really need to bother wondering; she knew. As a cop, she'd seen it all.

Stef's eyes grew misty as she carried the stack of clean laundry to Callie's room. The door was open, and she went inside, where she found her daughter sitting on her bed, her homework spread around her.

"Hi, cutie pie," she smiled, setting the clothes at the foot of the bed.

"Hi," Callie replied, looking up from her textbook. "Hey- have you been crying?" she asked, her brow furrowed.

"Maybe," Stef sighed. "But I'm fine. I was just thinking... about you." She sat down next to Callie and patted her hand, wondering when she'd become so sentimental.

"What about me?" he daughter asked.

"Just, you know," Stef replied. "How grown up you're getting. Brandon, too. I can't believe my babies are turning eighteen."

Callie's face went blank as Stef spoke, and for a split second, she resembled the old Callie again. Stef had noticed that whenever someone mentioned Callie's birthday, or graduation, or college, her daughter's dark eyes got a faraway look in them.

"I'm proud of you, slug-a-bug," Stef told her, giving her a hug. "You're a beautiful young woman, inside and out. And I love you very much."

Callie wrapped her arms around her mother, giving her another hug. "I love you too, mama."

Stef tilted her head down and kissed Callie's soft chestnut hair. "Have you decided anything about prom?" she asked. "It's not to late, you know." Callie had told her she didn't want to go, but Stef was hoping she'd change her mind.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I don't have a date."

"Well, you don't necessarily need one," Stef reminded her. "But if you want a date, I'm sure lots of guys would love to take you."

"I don't know," Callie said again, wistfully. "The only guy I wanted to go with already has a date. I don't want to go with anyone else."

"Do I know this guy?" Stef teased.

"Maybe," said Callie, her playful smirk carrying a hint of sadness.

Stef squeezed Callie's shoulder, then stood up. "Well, do me a favor and try to keep an open mind about this, honey. It's your senior prom. I just don't want you to regret not going."

"Okay," Callie nodded. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask."

**To Be Continued**

**One More Note: I'm dealing with a family emergency right now that needs to be my top priority, so there's no way I'll be able to update this story every day, as I usually do with my stories, but I'll try to update at least once a week. Thanks for understanding!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Stef looked out the kitchen window, and saw Callie, Brandon, and Jude cross the back yard, just home from school. Callie and Brandon appeared to be arguing about something, but stopped promptly when they came through the back door.

"Hey, guys," Stef chirped, hurrying to give each of her children a hug. "Did you have a good day?"

Brandon simply grunted and grabbed a handful of gingersnaps from the cookie jar, before skulking upstairs.

"What's his problem?" Stef asked, her brow furrowed.

Callie shrugged. "I don't know. He's been acting weird all day."

Stef nodded, concerned. "Did the twins stay after school?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded. "Play rehearsal and wrestling." She paused, as Jude left the room. "But hey... I have some good news!"

"What's that?" asked Stef.

"I'm going to the prom," she announced happily. "A guy from school asked me, and I said yes."

"That's great!" said Stef, giving Callie another hug. "And what is this young man's name. Do I know him?"

"His name is Vico," she replied, blushing a little. "Vico Cerar. He's on the wrestling team with Jesus."

Stef nodded, and kissed her daughter's forehead. "We'll have to go shopping for a prom dress right away."

Callie groaned softly, never much for shopping. To her, shopping for clothes meant waiting around outside the dressing room, watching Mariana model outfits for hours on end. "I just thought I'd wear my dress from the wedding."

Stef brushed away the idea. "Nonsense... you never ask us for anything, sweetheart. I think you've earned a new dress for your special day."

"Mariana's wearing her Quinceneara dress," Callie countered. "She's not getting a new one."

"Well, in all fairness, that gown was much too expensive to only be worn once," said Stef. "Mariana will get a new prom dress next year, when she's a senior." She brushed Callie's hair back and smiled. "We'll go shopping tomorrow, after school. Do you have a favorite color in mind?"

"I don't know," Callie shrugged. "I like blue. And rose."

"Well see what we find, then," she told her. "It will be fun. You'll see."

Callie smiled a little, seemingly more enthusiastic. "Thanks, mama." She wrapped her arms around Stef and gave her a hug. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Stef replied, patting her back.

"I guess I'll go start my homework," said Callie, turning away.

"Okay. Don't forget... it's your turn to do the dishes tonight."

"I won't forget," she promised, heading upstairs.

* * *

That evening, after the dinner dishes were done and everyone was winding down for the night, Stef found Lena on the living room sofa, typing busily on her laptop. "Hey, hon," she said. "You busy?"

"No," Lena replied, shaking her head. "What's up?"

"So, Callie has a prom date," she told her wife, sitting down next to her. "Vico... Cerar? I think that was his name. What do you know about him? Is he a good kid?"

Lena paused, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "He's a decent student, comes from an affluent family. He's a wrestler... he's been sent to my office a few times, but no serious offenses."

"Is he someone we'd want our daughter with, though?" Stef asked.

"I don't see why not," Lena nodded. "It's just prom. And Callie has a good head on her shoulders."

Just then, Stef spotted someone from the corner of her eye. She looked up to see Brandon watching them sulkily from the kitchen doorway. "Do you need something, B.?" she asked.

Brandon entered the living room slowly, his hands in his pockets. "I don't think you should let Callie go with Vico," he told them quietly.

Stef eyed him curiously. "Why not?"

Brandon watched them tensely before answering. "He's just not good enough for her," he replied. "She... she can do a lot better than him."

Stef sighed. "Well, honey, I think Callie should be the judge of that."

"Vico comes from a very good family," Lena added.

Brandon's jaw tightened at his mother's words. "Yeah, well, Liam came from a very good family, too." He turned briskly and walked away.

Brandon's words troubled Stef, whether she wanted them to or not. It was the mention of Liam. Hearing that bastard's name always upset her. She sat back, and turned to her wife for reassurance.

"It's got to be hard for him," Lena sighed. "Seeing Callie dating someone else. That's something he hasn't had to deal with yet." She put her arm around Stef's shoulder, and pulled her closer.

"But that thing they had was over two years ago," Stef pointed out. "And B.'s dated other girls since then. He's going to the prom with Lou."

"I know," Lena nodded. "I'm just saying... the prom is probably bringing up some old feelings for him. He just needs his space."

"You're probably right," Stef finally agreed.

**To Be Continued**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

"Hey, babe," Vico smiled, waving Callie to the lunch table. "How's it going?"

"Fine," Callie replied, sitting down next to him, and setting her lunch bag on the table. She opened it, and took out the turkey sandwich Lena had made for her. Underneath it was a paper napkin with a note: Have a great day! Love, Mom. Callie smiled when she read it, and tucked it into her shoulder bag. Sure, she was perfectly capable of making her own lunch, but somehow, the lunches Lena made always tasted better; they were made with love. And the little notes she included always brightened Callie's day. She kept all the notes from the entire two years she'd been in their home in a shoe box under her bed. She wondered what she would do when she was on her own. She would miss receiving them; they'd gotten her through many tough days.

"So, I'm going shopping for my prom dress tonight," she told Vico. "My mom's taking me after school."

He nodded, biting into his pizza. "Pick out something sexy."

Callie blushed, taking a sip of her bottled water, as self-consciousness began to creep into her. She hated dressing skimpily, to the point that it was a mild phobia. That feeling being exposed to to the world made her skin crawl, as if Liam's beady eyes were still looking her up and down as she innocently swam in the public pool, dressed in her first bikini. "I'll see what I can do," she replied shyly.

"I'm sure you'll look hot in anything," Vico told her, placing his hand on her thigh.

As they sat together, talking and eating, Callie happened to look up. Across the grid of lunch tables, Brandon sat alone, watching them intently, as if it were his job. She almost expected him to duck behind a newspaper with eye holes cut out of it, like a character from a bad spy film.

"I'm gonna get more food," Vico grunted. "Be right back."

Callie nodded, presuming he was trying to maintain or gain weight for wrestling. Once he was out of earshot, she hopped up, and hurried to Brandon's table.

"What is your deal?" she asked accusingly.

Brandon looked her in the eye, standing his ground. "If you insist on dating that prick, I'm keeping an eye on you."

"Well, do me a favor and stop," she replied. "You're giving me the creeps."

"No, I won't stop," he told her plainly. "Because I care about you, and he's just going to get you in trouble."

"You don't know that," she shot back, starting to lose her bravado. Brandon always did have the uncanny ability to see right through her; he knew when she was trying to act tougher than she felt.

"You'll thank me one day, Cal." He shot his crumpled lunch bag into a nearby garbage can and got up. Callie stood there alone for a moment, her arms crossed over her chest. Then she turned and went back to her own table. On the way, she looked up at the music room window, just in time to see Brandon standing there, looking out over the courtyard.

* * *

Stef began sifting through a rack of gowns, hoping to get Callie excited about their shopping trip. It was her goal to give her daughter all the mother-daughter moments she would have otherwise missed out on. Callie had fixed her own hair for her school pictures, and shopped for her first bra with a near-stranger, but she would choose her prom dress, and someday, her wedding gown, with her mama.

"See anything you like, sweetheart?" she asked, turning to Callie.

Callie furrowed her brow as she looked back at a handful of garments. "This one is pretty. What do you think?"

"I don't know," Stef replied. "It's very nice, but are you sure you want black, hon? There are so many colors to choose from."

Just then, a saleslady approached them."Can I help you ladies find something today?"

Stef smiled, placing her arm around Callie's shoulders. "Yes, thank you. We're looking for a prom dress."

"How fun," the woman chirped. "Do you have a particular color in mind?"

Callie shrugged awkwardly. "I don't really have a favorite color."

"Well, that's okay. We'll just see if anything grabs you."

As Stef and the store employee looked at gowns, carrying on a conversation, Stef hardly noticed that Callie had drifted off by herself. She she looked up, she saw her daughter studying a gown being worn by and old-fashioned dressmaker dummy.

"I think she found something she liked," the saleslady whispered.

They went to Callie's side, and the saleslady looked at the tag inside the gown. "This is just your size, dear. Would you like to try it on?"

"Go ahead, Cal," Stef encouraged, giving her a little nudge. "It's a beautiful gown." It was, too. It was long and sleek, the lightest shade of mint green, with a frosty shimmer woven into the smooth fabric. The slit up one side was draped gracefully, decorated with a fall of white crystals.

"I will," Callie nodded. "Thanks."

Once the gown was removed from the display, Callie took it into the dressing area, and Stef sat on a plush bench to wait for her. After several minutes, Callie peeked out from the curtained stall.

"Mom? Can you help me with this?" she asked.

"Mm-hm," Stef nodded, going to her.

"I just need help with the zipper," Callie explained, holding the bodice of the gown up.

Stef stood behind her, and began to zip the back of the gown. As she did so, her thumb brushed over a few pale, oddly shaped scars on her daughter's back. She was curious of where they came from, but didn't ask. There was still so much she didn't know about Callie's past, that the young girl wouldn't talk about. "There," she told her, holding her by the shoulders. "Now, I'll go back out, and you can model it for me."

She left the stall, and finally, Callie emerged from behind the curtain, looking positively radiant as the frosty shimmer of the gown caught the light. "What do you think?" she mumbled, looking pleasantly shy.

"Oh, Callie," Stef sighed, as tears sprung to her eyes. "Just look at my beautiful baby." Callie came and sat down next to her, and she took her into her arms, trying to hug her without wrinkling the dress.

"I think this is the one," Callie divulged. "Can I get it? Please?"

"Well, let's see," Stef replied. She found the tag hanging under Callie's armpit, and her eyes widened when she saw the price. It was a lot more than what she planned on spending.

Callie caught her shocked expression, and her brown eyes clouded with disappointment, though she hid it well. "It's too much," she apologized. "I can find something cheaper."

She began to stand up, but Stef stopped her. She'd been playfully accused of being a pushover for Callie, and maybe she was. But one look at that angelic face and those dark, fluid, puppy-dog eyes, and her heart was melted. Truth be told, she felt that if any child deserved to be spoiled every now and then, it was Callie. And she was happy to oblige, once in a while.

"No, baby," she said, taking her hand and squeezing it reassuringly. "We'll get this one. I want you to have it."

"Are you sure?" she asked, with a tone of guilt in her voice. "I don't want to spend all your money."

"You don't need to worry about that, sweets," Stef promised. "I want you to have the dress you like. You're going to be the belle of the ball."

Callie's face lit up, and she threw her arms around Stef. "Thank you, mama," she sighed, planting a kiss on her cheek. "I'll _never_ forget this. I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby doll," Stef told her, patting her back and pressing her lips to her forehead. As she held her daughter in her arms, though, she felt a pang of sadness. Come Fall, Callie wouldn't be there to hug every day. And she was going to miss her little girl. With a feeling of emptiness, she gave Callie one more squeeze before they took the gown to the register.

**To Be Continued**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

When Stef and Callie got home from the dress shop, Brandon was waiting at the door, and practically pounced on them when they came in. Lena waited nearby, looking equally anxious.

"What's up?" Stef asked, glancing up at her wife and son, who were regarding each other with a secretive look.

"I got my letter from Julliard," Brandon explained breathlessly, turning back to his mother.

"Well, what are we waiting for?," Stef squealed. "Let's open it!"

They all sat down at the table, watching Brandon hold the envelope with shaking hands, preparing to face the moment he'd been waiting his whole life for. Stef smiled at her son supportively, as her heart pounded in her ears.

Brandon finally went for it, tearing the envelope open. Carefully, he slid the letter out and unfolded it, reading it silently. Then, he set it down and looked up at them, his face stony and serious.

"Sweetheart," Stef sighed, reaching out to him. "I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, Brandon's eyes lit up, and he grinned mischievously. "I got in!"

"B.!" Stef laughed. "How could you trick us like that?"

"Sorry," he chuckled. "I couldn't resist. Wow... Julliard. I'm moving to New York!"

His words were bittersweet to Stef, and her heart sunk a little as she took in his joy. She wanted this so much for Brandon; really, she did. She didn't pay for twelve years of piano lessons for nothing. But as much as she wanted him to live out his dream, it killed her inside, knowing her baby boy would be moving across the country in just a few short months. And she couldn't help but wonder where time had gone. It seemed like just yesterday she was watching her little man play a shaky, slow rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" at his first piano recital. The years had gone by so fast, and now, her first born child already had one foot out the door.

"Congratulations, baby," she said quietly, reaching out to hug and kiss him. "I'm so proud of you!" She rested her chin on his shoulder, trying to hide the tears that filled her eyes. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, mom," he told her. "I would never have gotten this far without you."

She pressed one last kiss to his forehead, then held him at arm's length. "How about you give dad a call and tell him your news. He'll be thrilled!"

"I'm on it," he nodded, as Callie and Lena joined in to congratulate him.

Once Brandon had taken the phone into the living room to call Mike, Lena turned to Callie. "Honey, you got a couple college letters, too."

"Cool," she replied in a detached voice. "I'm, uh, gonna go put my dress away."

"Don't you want to open your letters, love?" Stef asked, dabbing her wet eyes with a tissue.

"I'll open them later," she told them, as she picked up the garment bag and turned to the stairs.

Seconds after she left the kitchen, Jude bounded in. "Can I please have a soda?" he asked.

"Sure," she nodded with a smile. "Help yourself, sweets."

Jude opened the fridge and grabbed a can of root beer. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, turning around. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Oh. No, sweetie," Stef replied, pulling the fourteen-year-old into a hug. "I was just thinking... don't you grow up too fast on us, okay?"

"I'll try not to," he teased.

Stef ruffled his hair and pinched his cheek, much to his embarrassment. "Good."

* * *

Once she had a minute alone, Stef went to her room, and found her often-neglected jewelry box. She didn't wear accessories often; her wedding band was all she needed, but her mother insisted on giving her costume jewelry as a gift whenever she visited. Therefore, she had a lot of junk she didn't need, or necessarily want.

Since Callie's prom dress had gone over budget, they would have to be thrifty about the rest of her outfit. Knowing this, Stef sifted through a tangle of chains and baubles, carefully sorting through it all, searching for something the young girl could use. Finally, she found what she was looking for; a pair of silver hair combs, shaped like bows and decorated with rhinestones, delicate enough to look like vintage pieces. She set them aside, then slowly began to untangle a sterling silver chain with a crystal pendant hanging from it. Satisfied with her finds, she snapped the jewelry box shut, then went to find her daughter.

"Callie?" she asked, peeking past the open bedroom door. "May I come in?"

"Yeah," she nodded, setting down her phone.

"Who are you texting?" Stef asked, sitting down beside her.

"Vico," Callie replied with a shy smile. "Is it okay if he comes over for dinner tonight?"

"It's fine with me," Stef told her, patting her knee. "I'm anxious to meet him."

"Brandon doesn't think I should date him."

Stef nodded wistfully. "I know, baby. But he'll get used to it."

"I don't know why he hates him," Callie continued. "He's never done anything to him."

"Well," she replied. "B. might be a little jealous of him right now. I wouldn't let it get you down."

"I won't."

"Good," said Stef. "Now, I have a surprise for my girl. You want to see it?"

"Yes," Callie nodded. "What is it?"

Stef held the sparkling hair combs in her palm, so her daughter could see them. "Mom mother got these for me to wear with the dress she bought me for the wedding. Since I didn't end up wearing the dress, I've never used these. You can have them to wear to prom, if you'd like."

"Really?" asked Callie. "You don't want them?"

"Nah," Stef assured her. "They're pretty, but they're not _me_, you know? But they'll look beautiful with your gown."

"Thanks," said Callie. "I love them."

"And I have one more thing to give you," Stef continued. She held up the necklace, and dropped it in Callie's hand. "I think this will complete your outfit."

Callie fingered the delicate necklace, her eyes shining. "It's beautiful, mama. And I appreciate it, I really do. But I don't think I can wear this necklace."

"Why not, sweetheart?" Stef asked.

Callie touched the golden coin that hung around her neck. "I already have this necklace. I never take it off."

"But this one will go so well with the crystals on your dress," Stef pointed out.

"No, I know," Callie replied. "It's just- I never take this one off. It was my mother's."

"Oh." Stef nodded with understanding.

"I know this sounds really morbid," Callie went on, her eyes a million miles away. "But my mother was wearing this when she died. The coroner sent an envelope with all the stuff she had on her that night. It was just little things, like loose change, and her lipstick. And this." She lifted the chain from her chest. "Since she had it... that night... I've always felt like when I wear it, she's watching out for me."

Stef shuddered a little as Callie spoke. The thought of wearing a necklace someone died with seemed rather macabre to her, but she understood why it meant so much to Callie. "You know what, love? Don't worry about it." She leaned in and planted a kiss on Callie's cheek. "You can wear your mom's necklace if you want to."

"Thanks," Callie replied, still toying with the gold coin. "Mama?"

"Hmm?"

"Does it bother you when I talk about my birth mother?" she asked quietly, looking down at a loose thread in her bedspread.

Stef let out an intake of breath, and grabbed Callie's hand, holding it between her own. "No, sweetheart. It doesn't bother me. I never want you and Jude to forget her."

"Good," Callie nodded. "Because I love you and mom just as much as I loved her. You mean everything to me."

"That's the nice thing about love," Stef told her. "There's always room for more." She held out her arms for a hug. "Come here, baby."

Callie rose to her knees, and let Stef enfold her in a hug. Once they parted, she glanced down at the time on her phone. "It's getting late. I'm gonna grab a shower before Vico comes over."

She stood up, and took her bathrobe from the hook near the closet door.

"Okay," said Stef. "Go ahead, but keep it short, yes?" The kids all knew about the need to conserve hot water in their household, but it paid to remind them sometimes.

"I know," she nodded, hurrying down the hall before someone else could stake claim on the bathroom. Once she was gone, Stef remained, sitting on the edge of the bed, studying the silver necklace in her hand.

**To Be Continued**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

"He's here," said Callie in a hushed breath, as the doorbell rang. She glanced up just in time to see Brandon roll his eyes, but she paid no attention, chewing her lip as she went to answer the door.

Stef followed her to the door, and looked over her shoulder as she opened it, anxious to get a first glimpse at Vico.

"Hi," said Callie, her voice betraying her nervousness. Stef was surprised to hear her sounding so shaky; she was normally Ms. Laid-back.

"Hey, Cals," said the tall, broad young man standing on their porch.

"Um, come on in," she replied, stepping to the side. "Meet my family."

Vico entered the living room, the top of his head nearly grazing the door frame. What surprised Stef most about his appearance was his size. He wasn't excessively tall, but he was muscular. Callie looked like a fragile bird compared to him; it seemed that if he fell on her, he would crush her.

"Vico," said Callie, taking him by the hand. "I want you to meet my mom and best friend." She wrapped her arms around Stef from behind, and kissed her cheek.

"Nice to meet you," said Stef, reaching out to accept a vice-like, sweaty handshake. "I'm Stefanie Foster. You can call me Stef, or Mrs. Foster. Whichever you prefer."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Foster," he replied, with a gleam in his dark eyes. "You have a lovely home."

"I guess you know Brandon, Jesus, and Mariana," Callie went on, sweeping her hand over the sofa where her siblings sat. "And this is my brother, Jude."

Jude looked up and nodded. He was a man of few words. "Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey," Vico nodded in return, before Callie led him into the kitchen.

"Mom," she said, calling out to Lena, who was cooking dinner. "Vico's here." She turned back to him. "I guess you already know her too."

"Well, hello Mr. Cerar," said Lena. "It's good to see you outside my office for a change."

"Mom!" Callie groaned, horrified.

"I'm just kidding," she apologized, laughing. "Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. I hope you like meatloaf, Vico."

"I'll eat anything," he replied. "Thanks for having me."

"It's no problem," she told him. "A friend of Callie's is a friend of ours."

While Vico and Callie chatted with Lena, back in the living room, Stef turned to her children. "He seems nice enough," she casually observed.

"That's because you don't know him," Brandon replied, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "It's an act."

"Brandon," Stef warned. "I mean it. You need to be on your best behavior tonight. Don't ruin this for Callie. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand," he replied, in a tone that betrayed his true feelings.

Just then, Callie burst into the living room, with Vico close behind. "What are you guys talking about?" she asked with a smile.

"Just... you know... dinner," Stef answered quickly. "The meatloaf smells good. You're in for a treat, Vico. Lena's a great cook."

"I'm looking forward to it," he nodded. Then, he turned to Jesus. "Hey, man. I know we kind of got off on the wrong foot at the beginning of the year, but I want to apologize. Are we good now?"

Jesus paused, recalling the fight he had picked with Vico when he was dating Lexi. He was never one to hold a grudge. "Yeah," he finally nodded. "We're good."

"Thanks, man," Vico replied.

* * *

Brandon couldn't quite put his finger on the reason he didn't trust Vico. He just knew he didn't want him anywhere near Callie. Maybe part of it was jealousy; he knew he and Callie couldn't be together, but the feelings were still there. But there was more to it than just jealousy. It was the coldness of Vico's eyes, the way he looked at Callie as if she were property, rather than a person.

Vico was one of those people who had gained popularity by being a complete jackass, as far as Brandon could see. The whispered rumors were one thing, but he had heard Vico himself brag about the wild parties he threw, and the fights he'd been involved in, as if they were a badge of honor. And Brandon had seen his nasty temper firsthand. Everything he had ever seen and heard of Vico spelled bad news. He wouldn't, couldn't, let Callie get mixed up in that. Not after all she'd been through.

Brandon was lost in thought when Lena called everyone for dinner. He'd was on auto-pilot, following the familiar path to the kitchen without really seeing anything, when he and Vico nearly collided in the doorway. There was a pause, and they studied each other with animosity.

"Watch your step," Brandon hissed, his words filled with double meaning.

Vico pressed his index finger to Brandon's chest for a split second, his jaw tight. "You watch yours."

* * *

The duration of dinner was awkward for Callie, Stef could tell. She was a quiet girl by nature, and she was trying so hard to keep a conversation going between the family and Vico. Luckily, Vico was charismatic, talking about wrestling, and his plans after graduation.

"Brandon's going to Julliard," Stef chimed in, unable to pass up the chance to boast about her son. "We're very proud."

"Speaking of which," added Mariana, who was clearing away the dishes. "Mama and I have a surprise for you, Brandon." She went the the fridge, and took out a cake covered in fluffy yellow frosting. The words "NYC or Bust" were written across the top in blue icing, bordered with crooked musical notes.

"Thanks," Brandon grinned, looking up at Lena. "You didn't have to do this."

"We wanted to," she told him, cutting him the first slice of cake. "This is something to celebrate."

As everyone was finishing dessert, Vico turned to Stef. "Excuse me, Mrs. Foster. Can I use your bathroom?"

"Of course," Stef nodded. It's just upstairs, across the hall from B.'s room. You can't miss it."

"Thank you," he said, getting up and heading to the stairs.

When he returned, he announced that he had to get home. "I'll walk you to the door," said Callie, rising to her feet.

"Thank you for joining us, Vico," said Stef. "We hope you'll come again soon."

"Oh, I will," he replied. "I can't stay away from Callie." He placed his large hand on Callie's slender shoulder.

Callie smiled as she followed him to the door. Once they were outside, they faced each other in the glow from the porch light. "I had a good time," she told him.

"So did I," he agreed. He reached out and combed his fingers through her hair. "Bye."

"Bye."

Then suddenly, his arms were around her, and his lips were pressed against her's in an intense kiss. When they broke apart, Callie touched her fingertips to her mouth.

"Later, babe," he smiled, as he followed the front walk to his car.

* * *

Before bed, Stef remembered Callie's unopened letters. She grabbed them from the counter as she headed up to say goodnight to the kids. She stopped by Jude and Jesus's room first, then the girls' room.

"Goodnight, my darling," she said to Mariana, as she leaned over to kiss her. "Sweet dreams. I love you."

"Goodnight, mom," Mariana replied, wrapping her arms around her. "I love you too."

She went to Callie's bed next. "You forgot to open these, sweetheart," she told her, handing her the letters. "Why don't you see what they have to say?"

"I'm tired," Callie told her. "Can't I open them tomorrow?"

"If you're nervous, I'll open them for you."

"I'm not nervous," she insisted. "I just want to go to bed now."

"Fine," Stef relented. "But you need to open them tomorrow, so we can start making plans." She brushed her thumb across Callie's soft cheek. "Did you have fun tonight, baby?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded. She lowered her voice, blushing a little. "He kissed me."

Stef smiled down at her daughter, and squeezed her hand. "Aww. How sweet." She bent down to give Callie a hug and kiss. "Goodnight, baby doll. I love you."

"Goodnight," said Callie. "I love you too."

Stef left the room just in time to miss Callie shoving her letters under the bed.

When she got to Brandon's room, she knocked on the door with her knuckle before entering. "Just wanted to say goodnight, sweetie."

"Goodnight, mom," he said, giving her a hug and placing a kiss on her cheek. "Love you."

"I love you too, B." She turned, and her foot caught on the sleeve of Brandon's jacket, which was strewn on the floor. How many times had she told him to pick it up? She shook it out, intending to hang it on the back of his desk chair, when something small fell out of the pocket and landed soundlessly on the floor. Looking down at the object, inches from her toes, her heart seemed to stop.

**To Be Continued**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

Stef was livid. "You have a lot of explaining to do, young man," she said in a quiet, stern voice that meant business.

"What did I do?" Brandon asked, his eyes wide with confusion.

Bending down, she took the joint between her thumb and index finger, and held it up for her son to see, her face creased with hurt. "This."

"That is not mine," Brandon told her, his expression unreadable, but his voice defensive.

"Well, it fell out of your jacket pocket, B.," she pointed out, trying to stay calm. "I suppose you're holding it for a friend?"

Brandon shook his head vehemently. "I've never seen that thing in my life! I don't smoke weed." He was so worked up, his hands shook.

Standing up, he began to pace, his body tense. Finally, he stopped. "I know," he said, turning back to her. "You know what? Vico was in the bathroom a long time. I bet _he_ planted it on me."

Stef wrinkled her nose, considering Brandon's theory. "What reason would he have to do that to you?"

"Because he's a complete asshole!" Brandon shouted. "I don't know."

"Well, we can't just accuse him," said Stef, looking at the object in her hand with disgust..

"But you _can_ accuse me," Brandon replied, more as a statement than a question.

"Look, honey," said Stef. "I'm not accusing you." She led him to the bed, and sat down next to him. "But B., I know this time of the year is stressful for kids your age. If you're having problems, you know you can come to me, right? If... _this_... really is yours, we can help you."

"Mom!" Brandon cried, frustrated. "You know what? I'm going to bed." He turned away, fluffing his pillows.

"Okay. I'm just putting it out there," she told him. " Goodnight. I love you."

"Love you too," he mumbled.

* * *

Stef left his room, and went straight to the bathroom. Once inside, she dropped the joint in the toilet and flushed it down. Then, she turned on the tap, and splashed cold water on her face, and stood facing the mirror, watching the droplets roll down her face.

"What's the matter, hon?" Lena asked, once they were alone in their bedroom, getting ready for bed.

Stef pulled her t-shirt over her head, and dropped it in the hamper, then shrugged into her nightshirt. "What isn't the matter?" She pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail, and got into bed. "I found a joint in Brandon's pocket," she admitted sadly to her wife.

"Oh, honey," Lena sighed. "I'm sorry... _gosh_... that doesn't sound like Brandon."

"He's denying that it's his," Stef explained. "He told me he thinks Vico planted it there."

Lena's brow furrowed as she took in her wife's words. "Do you think he's right?"

"I don't know what to think," said Stef lamely. "I suppose it's possible. But I don't want it to be. Callie seems so happy to have a boyfriend. This would break her heart. But I don't want it to be Brandon's either."

Lena pulled the sheet over her bare legs, and reclined on the pillow. "If it is Brandon's, it doesn't necessarily mean he's doing drugs. It's no secret that he doesn't want Vico around."

"Are you suggesting he could have framed Vico to get rid of him?" Stef asked.

"Jealousy can turn you into someone you don't even recognize," said Lena. "But I suppose it's also possible that it doesn't even belong to _either_ of them. Someone at school could have easily slipped it in Brandon's pocket just for kicks. Who knows?" She looked up to see her wife in tears. "Don't cry, sweetheart," she said, pulling Stef into her arms. "We'll deal with this."

She rubbed Stef's back, and kissed her temple softly. "Here's what we'll do. We'll talk to Callie in the morning, explain the situation, and get her to ask Vico about it. Then we'll go from there. Okay?"

"I guess so," Stef sighed, laying back. She leaned in and kissed her wife. "Goodnight, babe. I love you."

"I love you too," Lena nodded. "Now goodnight, and please, _try_ to relax?"

* * *

The next morning, after breakfast, Stef and Lena pulled Callie aside. "Am I in trouble?" she asked anxiously, looking from parent to parent.

"No, baby," said Stef, squeezing her hand. "We just need to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" She glanced down at her phone impatiently. "Vico's picking me up for school in ten minutes."

Stef took the phone from her daughter's hand, and set it aside. "Honey, I'm sorry to say that I found a joint in Brandon's jacket pocket last night."

"As in _weed?"_ Callie asked, shocked. The Brandon _she_ knew was never into that kind of thing. He was a clean-cut, all-American boy next door. He played _piano_, for Pete's sake.

"Yes, unfortunately," Lena nodded with a frown.

"But Brandon claims it doesn't belong to him," Stef explained. "He seems to think Vico planted it there while he was visiting yesterday."

"That's crazy," said Callie. "I was with him the whole time."

"Well, he _did_ use the bathroom alone," Lena reminded her. "And we can't help Brandon until we know the truth. Can you do us a favor, sweets?"

"You want me to ask Vico about it," Callie concluded, her face troubled.

"Please, Slug-a-bug?" Stef asked. "We need to get to the bottom of this."

"It doesn't have to be weird or accusing," said Lena. "Just mention it casually, and see what he says."

Callie leaned back on her arms, and looked up at Stef. "Fine," she finally agreed. "I'll see what I can find out."

"Thank you, honey," said Stef, giving her a hug. "We love you."

"I love you guys, too," Callie nodded, as a car horn beeped out front. "Got to go," she said, hurrying to the door.

"Have a good day!" Lena called out after her.

* * *

"You're awfully quiet today," said Vico said, glancing at Callie from the driver's seat on the way home from school.

"Not any quieter than usual," Callie shrugged. "Why?" The truth was, her moms' request had been laying heavily on her shoulders all day. School was out, and she still hadn't asked her boyfriend about the joint, unsure of how he'd react. He was so changeable, it was hard to tell whether he'd laugh or blow up at her.

"Come on. What's bothering you, Cals?" he pressed with a smile. "Tell Uncle Vico."

"This is silly," Callie began, managing a dry chuckle, trying to sound breezy and calm. "But my mom found a joint in Brandon's jacket pocket... and Brandon said he thinks _you_ put it there."

Vico laughed robustly. "Does that sound like something I would do?"

"I don't know," said Callie. "Does it?" She looked him in the eye for a split second, then down at her lap. "You didn't, did you? Tell me you didn't"

"No, I didn't," Vico replied, a tight, smug smile on his lips.

"Oh my gosh. You _did_ do it!" Callie cried with disbelief.

Vico pulled over on the curb in front of the Foster's home. "Shit, Callie. Take a joke." He sighed, turning to her. "It was just a prank. I honestly thought Brandon would find it first. If I'd known your mom was going to find it, I wouldn't have done it."

"Great," said Callie, with irritation. "Now I have to tell my moms that it was you."

"Don't you dare," he told her firmly, fear in his eyes. "Don't say a damn word."

"But, Brandon..."

"Listen, Cals," he continued, interrupting her. "It was just a _joke_. But if you tell them it was me, we won't be allowed to date anymore, so you can kiss the prom goodbye. And Lena could get me kicked off the wrestling team if this gets out. I might not even graduate."

"But Brandon will get in trouble for something he didn't do."

"So what? Golden Boy will lose dessert for a week," Vico shrugged. "But if I take the heat, it could ruin my life, and it would be _your_ fault."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Callie asked, glancing at her house, as if they were being watched.

"Just tell them the truth," he told her. "We don't know anything."

"Fine," Callie finally sighed, after a moment of hesitation. The desperation in Vico's eyes frightened her in a way that told her not to argue.

"I hate to ask this of you," he told her, stealing a kiss. "You know that right?"

"Yeah," she said quietly. "I know. See you tomorrow."

Callie got out of the car, and hurried to the door, hoping to avoid her moms for as long as possible. But it was just her luck that Lena was waiting for her in the kitchen.

"Did you ask him about it, sweetheart?" Lena asked, taking her by the shoulders.

"Yes," she nodded, avoiding her mother's gaze.

"Well, what did he say?"

In a way, Callie was relieved that it was Lena who confronted her, rather than Stef, who was still at work. She was closer to Stef. It would be _much_ harder to look her in the eye and lie to her face. "He, uh, had no idea what I was talking about."

**To Be Continued**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

Callie sat at the top of the stairs, her knees folded to her chest, listening to her moms and Brandon talk. She'd told her lie, and she was wracked with guilt. Now she had to face the consequences; knowing that Brandon, who was innocent, was being punished because of her.

"You can give me a drug test if you want," she heard Brandon protest. "I have nothing to hide."

Tears threatened to fall as Callie eavesdropped, but she widened her eyes, drying them out before they got a chance to slip away.

"You know what?" said Stef. "I think I'll do just that."

"Stef, you're overreacting," Lena told her, in her patient, level-headed way. "He's just a kid. We've all experimented with things we shouldn't have as teenagers."

"Well, this is a different time," Stef replied. "No drugs in this house, period."

"I'm not on drugs!" Brandon cried. "If you never believe another thing I say, believe this."

"Listen, B.," Lena said gently, nudging him out of the room. "Why don't you go on upstairs? Give mom some time to cool off?"

"Fine," he grumbled, lowering his voice.

Callie could hear him coming toward her, but before she could get up and hurry to her room, he'd already turned the corner. "Hey," he said quietly. "Why are you sitting there?"

"Why not?" she asked nervously. "Is there a no-sitting-on-the-stairs rule?"

"You were listening in," he accused. He sat heavily down beside her. "Callie, that joint wasn't mine. You know me better than anyone. You know I wouldn't do that, right?"

She shrugged guiltily. "Yeah. I guess so."

"I mean, I'm going to Julliard. Why would I throw that away on something stupid?"

"I guess you wouldn't," she replied, feeling worse and worse.

"Callie?"

"Yeah."

"Look," he said. "If you knew something, you would say so, right? You wouldn't lie to protect that asshole, Vico, would you?"

"Will you stop calling him that?" she sighed.

"Just answer my question," he pressed.

"Yes, I would say so," she answered, inconspicuously crossing her fingers at her side. It was amazing, she realized, how her lies were adding up.

"Thanks," he nodded. "Because I would do the same for you." He stood up, and hurried upstairs.

Once she was left alone, her guilt weighed down on her, heavier than ever. She knew Brandon did nothing wrong, and that he had so much at stake. But Vico had a lot at stake too, and she promised she wouldn't say a word about it. But it hurt her to think that Brandon was being punished for something he didn't do, and she hated herself for lying to her moms. Maybe, she thought, she could convince her moms that Brandon was innocent without selling out her boyfriend? That was the good kind of lie, she convinced herself. The kind where nobody gets hurt.

Scooting off the step, she slowly went downstairs, and into the living room, where Stef and Lena were sitting.

"Hi, sweetheart," said Stef, when she saw her daughter come in. "Did you finish your homework?"

"Mm-hm," Callie nodded. "Moms? Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," Lena nodded. "Come sit. What's up?"

"Um," she began, bouncing her knee anxiously. "I feel really bad for Brandon. I think you're wrong about him. That weed wasn't his... I know it wasn't." At least that much wasn't a lie.

"Well, do you know whose it was, then?" Stef asked.

Callie shrugged, without really answering. "I know Brandon. He wouldn't do that... not with Julliard, and all. He just wouldn't. Maybe he left his jacket alone that day, and someone else put it in his pocket?"

"That's what I said," Lena told Stef quietly. "Anyone could have done it."

"You can trust Brandon," Callie continued, taking Stef's hand in her own. "He doesn't lie. And if he said he didn't do it, I believe him. You should too."

Stef cradled Callie's hand in her palm, massaging her smooth skin with her thumb. "When did you get so wise?" She tilted her head down and kissed Callie's temple.

Callie gazed at her mother, her eyes wide and damp. She knew Stef was a pushover for her puppy-dog eyes, and as much as she hated to manipulate her parents, she knew it was for a good cause. "Please don't punish Brandon," she begged. "He's innocent until proven guilty, isn't he?"

After a long pause, Stef sighed, defeated. "Okay... fine. You're right. You and mom both make sense."

Callie sucked in her breath and threw her arms around her mother. "Thanks, mama."

"You're welcome, sweets," she replied. "You're a good sister. B. is lucky to have you." She stood up, and called her son downstairs.

"What did I do now?" Brandon asked, once he was standing before them.

"Watch the attitude," Stef warned. "Callie and mama have convinced me that it's unfair to punish you without proof that the marijuana was yours. I have no proof, so your punishment is lifted."

A few steps behind the moms, Callie maintained firm eye contact with Brandon. Quickly, she gave him a small smile, and he returned it.

"Brandon, do you remember leaving your jacket unattended at school?" Lena asked curiously.

"I don't know... " Brandon shrugged. "Maybe? I don't remember."

Lena nodded, satisfied.

"But we're going to be keeping a very close eye on you," Stef warned. "Any funny business, and there will be consequences."

"Like I said," he told her, glancing over her shoulder and directing his gaze at Callie. "I have nothing to hide."

* * *

The next morning, Callie found Vico in the school courtyard. "Hey!" she called, waving. "Wait up!"

He stopped, turning to her. "Hey, gorgeous." He pulled her into a hug and gave her a hungry kiss.

"So, how did things go down last night?" he asked, once they parted.

"I got Brandon out of trouble," she told him. "But I still felt really bad about lying to my parents. Please don't ask me to do that again."

"You didn't sell me out, did you?" he asked suspiciously.

"No. But I can't lie to my moms again. If you ask me to, I won't do it."

Vico stopped, and grabbed her forearm. "That's what boyfriends and girlfriends do, Cals. They have each other's back. If you can't do that for me, maybe we shouldn't be together?" He turned, and began to walk away.

Callie sighed, frustrated and troubled. "Stop! Vico, I'm sorry."

He paused, and turned around, facing her. "Are you really sorry?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I am."

"Good," he nodded, combing his fingers through her hair. "Because I don't want to lose you. I love you."

Callie looked up at him with surprise. "You do?"

"Mm-hm."

"Then, I love you too." The truth was, she wasn't at all sure that she did; it was too soon. But she felt obligated to respond the same way, so that's what she did.

He smiled, gripping her shoulders. "Give me a kiss."

Callie craned her neck, and pressed her lips against his. He grabbed her in his arms, and before she even had a chance to react, he deepened it, driving his tongue into her mouth. The kiss was long and drawn out, and Callie finally pulled away when she needed to take a breath.

"Come on," said Vico. "The bell's gonna ring." He reached back, and playfully slapped her ass, before leading her through the school doors.

They were walking down the hallway, holding hands, when Callie spotted Lena coming down the hall, her face drawn and serious. Behind her, Stef and Mike followed, along with another officer leading a dog.

"Moms?" she asked, concerned. "What's going on?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," Lena assured her. "We're just doing a locker search this morning."

Callie nodded, then her body tensed with worry as she felt Vico dig his nails painfully into the small of her back. And she knew, something was wrong.

** To Be Continued**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: My family emergency has been taken care of, so I'll have more time to devote to this story now. Look for updates soon!**

Chapter 8.

Once her moms passed by, Callie turned to Vico. "If you have any more weed in your locker, you better take care of it," she hissed.

"Not weed," he replied cryptically. He turned the combination on his locker, and discretely showed her a flask. "This. Put it in your purse."

"I don't know..." Callie fretted. "What if...?"

"Will you just do it?" he snapped under his breath. "Just until after first period. Please?"

"With a sigh, Callie unzipped her bag and let him drop the metal flask inside. It was heavy; she could feel the weight of it pulling on her shoulder. Then, she watched as Vico began to rummage through his gym bag, retrieving a wad of folded cash. It was definitely more than lunch money.

"Hide this for me?"

"Where?"

He pulled her into his arms and gave her passionate kiss, rubbing his hands up and down her back and butt. As she kissed him, she felt him slip the money into her back pocket.

"You better hope they don't do a bag search," she whispered.

"Why should _I_ worry?" he laughed. "They won't find anything on _me_." He kissed her again. "You worry too much. It'll be fine. Uncle Vico's got it under control." He gave her one more reassuring kiss. "I love you."

Callie nodded, blushing. "I love you too."

Just then, an announcement came over the loudspeaker. "Students, please proceed to your first period class immediately."

"I have to get my books," she said hurriedly, rushing away.

The lockers in the school were arranged alphabetically, so Callie's locker was next to Brandon's. Her own locker was neat as a pin, holding only the bare essentials. Brandon's looked like a record store exploded. The inside of the door was covered with decals of band logos, and CDs and sheet music were precariously stacked on the shelf. He was kneeling in front of the mess, looking for his English notebook.

Quickly, she turned her combination, smiling at him as she gathered her things.

"Are you okay, Callie?" he asked. "You look a little pale."

"I'm okay," she nodded. "Just... in a hurry, with the locker search and all."

"I'm glad they're having it," he confided. "So I can prove to moms once and for all that I'm clean." He stuffed some papers into his locker with his foot, then slammed the door. "This locker search is no coincidence."

"Are you saying moms planned this to find out who that joint belonged to?" Callie asked as they walked to class together.

"Duh," he laughed. "And whoever it was, I hope they catch him."

* * *

As soon as the last bell rang, Callie left school, walking briskly toward home, her book bag bumping against her hip. Brandon followed a few paces behind, at a more casual speed.

Callie was lost in thought when a shiny red car pulled up beside them.

"Hey, baby. Goin' my way?"

She turned with a start, then smiled to see Vico behind the wheel.

"Hop in," he said.

Callie looked from him to Brandon questioningly.

"Sorry bro," said Vico, eying Brandon. "I only transport sexy people."

"Who said I wanted to ride with you?" Brandon replied. He started to turn away. "See you at home, Cal." He turned back to Vico, his eyes narrowed. "Drive safely."

"Bye," she called as she opened the passenger door and dove in, quickly buckling her seat belt. Once she was settled, she turned to her boyfriend. "You shouldn't be so mean to Brandon."

"Why didn't you wait for me?" Vico asked, ignoring her statement. "I wanted to drive you home."

"Sorry," she apologized guiltily. "I have an appointment this afternoon. I was in a hurry." This was true. She and Stef had meetings with their therapists at four o'clock, but she didn't disclose this to Vico. Normally, she didn't mind others knowing she was in therapy, but the idea of telling him made her feel self-conscious.

"So, what's up?" he asked, glancing at her.

"All that money," she said quietly. "Where did you get it and why was it in your locker? Are you selling drugs?"

Vico chuckled nonchalantly. "No, I'm not a dealer. I'm strictly a customer." He sighed heavily. "I won't lie to you, Cals. I smoke a little weed, but that's it. None of the hard stuff. As for the cash, let's just say I'm an entrepreneur."

Callie looked at him skeptically. "What do you sell?"

"Everyone and their uncle can sell drugs," he replied. "I provide a hotter commodity." He lowered his voice secretively. "Look. Come with me to a party tonight, and I'll tell you everything you need to know."

Callie nodded, pleased that she'd finally get some answers about her mysterious boyfriend. "Well, I have to ask my moms first... what time?"

"Pick you up at eight?"

* * *

"Hi, love bug," said Stef, as she came home from work to find Callie sitting at the kitchen table.

Callie swallowed a mouthful of peanut butter crackers, and smiled. "Hi mama."

Stef planted a kiss on top of Callie's head, then took a cracker from her plate. "How's my girl?" she asked, biting into it.

"I'm fine," she replied, putting her plate in the sink.

"You ready to head out?"

Callie nodded. "Yeah. Just let me grab my jacket."

For over a year, Stef and Callie had been attending counseling. Stef, to help her heal from the trauma of being shot and the issues she had with her father, and Callie, to make peace with her past; she'd been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Stef never imagined she'd find herself in therapy. At first, she just went along with it to support her daughter; she hated to see her little girl hurting so much, and not knowing how to deal with it. But, she had to admit that it had benefited her, too. And in a way, it strengthened her bond with Callie even further, because it was something that only they shared.

They were in the car, driving to the counseling center, when Callie turned to her. "Mama?"

"What, honey?" Stef asked, turning down the radio.

"Is it okay if I go out tonight?"

"Where and who with?"

"To a party with Vico," she explained. "Please say yes?"

Stef chewed her lips, thoughtfully. "I guess it's okay," she finally nodded. "As long as you're back by curfew."

"Eleven-thirty," said Callie. "Got it."

* * *

Stef sat across from Dr. Hastings, twiddling her thumbs. The usual pleasantries were over, and it was now that awkward moment where she wasn't really sure how to start the conversation.

"Anything new this week?" the therapist asked, looking up from her clipboard and smiling.

"That depends on how much time you have," Stef laughed.

"I have nothing but time."

"Callie has a new boyfriend," she confided. "I think he's been good for her, but Brandon's been acting out ever since."

"In what way?"

"Oh, just his attitude," Stef replied. "He doesn't get along with this boy. Why, I don't know. But he's made it clear that he doesn't want Callie to date him"

She went on a bit more about the situation as Dr. Hastings took notes. "On the bright side, B. got accepted at Julliard."

"That's wonderful," said the therapist. "You must be so proud."

"I am," Stef nodded, her eyes growing misty. "Believe me, I am."

The conversation went on, when the doctor finally asked; "How do you feel about the kids leaving home?"

"Actually, kind of sad," Stef admitted. She'd been dreading this question. "It's just hit me lately that, you know... my babies are growing up and the nest is emptying. It's hard to imagine not having B. and Callie around every day."

"And you're going to miss them," Dr. Hastings replied, finishing her thought.

"Terribly," said Stef. "Especially my Callie girl. B.'s a little easier, because he's so independent. He's ready for this; I know he is. But I worry about Callie. As mature as she is, she still needs us so much."

"What in particular worries you?"

"I worry about how she'll deal with her problems," Stef told her. "You know, that something will happen that freaks her out, and we won't be there to comfort her. Or that if the stress of being on her own gets to her, she'll do something reckless. I don't know that she's ready to be completely independent yet."

"And maybe you're a little worried for yourself?"

Stef nodded hesitantly. "I guess that's fair to say. I've put so much time into getting her to where she is, and she and I are so close. She's always there to give me a hug after a long day. I'll miss the little things, like that."

As Stef spoke, a thought occurred to her. With all that had happened over the past few days, she'd forgotten all about Callie's college letters. And Callie hadn't said one word about them, either. She made a mental note to ask her about them as soon as they got in the car.

**To Be Continued**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

Stef sat down in the waiting room, waiting for Callie to come out of her appointment. Finally, after several minutes, she and her counselor emerged.

"There you are, baby doll," she said, standing up to meet her.

Her therapist smiled softly. "Bye Callie. See you next week."

"Bye," Callie mumbled, waving.

Stef studied her daughter with concern. Callie's face was drawn, and her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she'd been crying. She didn't want to pry; Callie's therapy sessions were private, but as they walked out of the building, she put her hand on the young girl's shoulder, and asked, "Are you okay, love?"

"What?" said Callie, distracted. "Oh. Yeah."

"You look like you've been crying."

"It's nothing," Callie explained. "I just had to talk about some things that were hard for me." She sighed softly. "Mom, I don't feel very well."

Stef sometimes wondered if it was helping or hurting Callie to dig into the darkest parts of her past. But her therapist specialized in counseling victims of sexual abuse, like Callie, and she was supposed to be wonderful at what she did, so she decided long ago to just trust in her.

"You do look a little pale," she fretted, touching her daughter's cheek. "Why don't we go home, and you can lay down for a while?"

Callie nodded, smiling weakly. "Hey?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Can I have a hug?"

"Of course, sweetheart," said Stef. "You don't even have to ask." She took Callie into her arms, gently rubbing her back. _I won't get on her case_ _today_, she decided, remembering her quest for answers about the missing college letters. I'm _probably worrying about nothing anyway._

"Mama?"

"What?"

"I love you so much," said Callie, from where her head rested on her mother's shoulder

Stef smiled, touched. "Aww. Thanks, baby. I love you too." She gave Callie a quick kiss and led her to the car.

* * *

By dinner time, Callie still wasn't feeling like herself. At six-thirty, Stef went up to check on her. "I brought you some ginger ale," she told her, setting the glass on the bedside table.

"Thanks," said Callie, looking up from her pillow.

"Where are you sick?" Stef asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Are you hurting anywhere?"

"My stomach hurts," Callie murmured. "And I have a headache."

Stef felt her head again. "I don't think you have a fever. It might just be from stress. I can bring you a Tylenol if you'd like?"

Callie nodded slightly. "That sounds good."

"Be right back."

Stef went to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, and found the bottle of Tylenol. As she fumbled with the childproof cap, she couldn't help but be curious about what Callie had talked about in therapy that upset her so much. She knew it was extremely hard for her daughter to talk about her past. She recalled the night Callie had come to them, and told them about what Liam did to her. Afterward, Lena tied Callie's hair into a ponytail and rubbed her back while she threw up. Stef had retreated to her bedroom, so Callie wouldn't see her cry. That night, they promised Callie that no one would ever hurt her again.

"Here you go," she said, setting the pill next to the glass of soda.

Callie thanked her, then sat up and swallowed it, taking a small sip of ginger ale to wash it down.

"Honey, I think you should stay in tonight," Stef told her. She was unsure if her daughter's symptoms were caused by stress, or if she had a bug, but it was better safe than sorry.

"But, Vico..."

"It's up to you," she replied. "But you're under the weather, and I think you should stay cozy in your bed. There will be other parties, I promise."

"I know," Callie nodded. "I really don't feel like going out tonight, anyway."

"Why don't you give Vico a call, and I'll fix you some chicken soup?"

"Okay."

Stef leaned down and kissed Callie's forehead. "I'll give you a minute."

Once Stef was gone, Callie quickly dialed Vico's number.

"Hey," he answered. "What's up?"

"About tonight," she told him. "I think I'm gonna pass. I'm not feeling well. Sorry it's such short notice."

Vico sighed with irritation. "Are you sure you can't make it?"

"I'm sure," she replied. "I'm tired and my stomach hurts. Next time?"

"Whatever," he grumbled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Cals."

"Okay," she said quietly. "Bye."

"Bye."

* * *

Meanwhile, Stef opened a can of soup and heated it in the microwave. As it warmed up, she arranged a few dry crackers on the plate.

"Hi, mom," said Mariana, coming through the back door.

"Hey there, love," she nodded, looking up with a smile.

"Who's sick?" Mariana asked, glancing down at the crackers and the empty soup can.

"Callie's not feeling well," Stef explained, taking the mug of soup out of the microwave. "She has an upset stomach."

"Is it okay if I go in our room?" her daughter fretted. "She's not contagious, I mean?"

"I don't think she's contagious," Stef replied. "I think she just needs some rest. You may go on up, as long as you're quiet."

"Got it," Mariana nodded, grabbing an apple from a bowl of fruit on the counter.

Stef followed Mariana up the stairs, to the girls' room, taking care not to spill any soup. She carried the tray to Callie's bed, and set it up so her daughter could eat. "Here you are, my love. Chicken soup a'la Cambell's. My specialty."

"Thanks," Callie smiled. She took a spoonful of the hot soup as her phone buzzed. She picked it up, and checked her messages, furrowing her brow. Quickly, she typed something in reply, then set the phone aside.

"Who was that?" Stef asked.

"Vico," Callie sighed. "He was kind of disappointed that I cancelled our date."

"Well, I'm sure he understands," Stef assured her. "I wouldn't worry about it." She patted Callie's arm, then left the room.

An hour later, the downstairs phone rang. Stef was watching TV with Jesus and Brandon, and Lena was helping Jude with his homework.

"I'll get it," Stef announced, hopping up. She hurried to the phone, and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Foster?" said a male voice. "This is Vico. Is Callie around?"

"Yes, she is," she told him.

"Can I please talk to her?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, honey, but she's resting right now," Stef replied. "I'm sure she'll appreciate your concern, though. Maybe drop her a text, and if she's up to replying, I'm sure she will."

"Okay," he sighed. "I'll do that. Thanks."

"Bye," said Stef. But he'd already hung up.

* * *

After the show she was watching ended, Stef went upstairs to collect Callie's tray, and found that her daughter had fallen asleep. She pressed a feather-light kiss to her cheek, then switched of her bedside lamp.

"Her phone's been going crazy," Mariana whispered, as Stef came to kiss her goodnight. "I shut it off so it wouldn't wake her up."

"That was sweet of you," Stef told her in a hushed voice.

"You know, I'm going to miss sharing my room," her younger daughter confided. "When Callie first came, I hated the idea, but now I love it. It'll feel weird without her."

"You two have gotten very close," Stef nodded, her heart twinging. "You always wanted us to give you a sister when your were little. You hated being outnumbered by the boys."

"Because they'd gang up on me," she laughed. "But I always pictured a little sister. I never thought I'd have an older sister."

* * *

The next day, Callie felt well enough to go back to school. She met up with Vico at lunch, sitting down next to him.

"You look like you're feeling better today," he noted.

"I am," Callie nodded. "But I still want to know about the money. You promised."

"I promised, _if_ you came with me to the party."

Callie mock-gasped. "That's not fair! I was sick."

"Sorry..."

"Please?" she pleaded. "Come on. You know you want to tell me."

"Fine," he grunted. "But not here." He stood up, and walked away, Callie following behind.

When he stopped, they found themselves on a grassy knoll facing the beach, their backs turned to the school. They sat down side by side, and Vico reached into his pocket and removed his wallet, extracting a laminated card. "You tell no one about this," he warned her. "I mean it."

She glanced at him, poker-faced. "I can keep a secret."

Vico placed the card in her hand, and Callie studied it. "It's just an I.D."

"Look closer," Vico told her, grinning.

Callie scanned the card, taking in the details. "It says you were born in 1991." Then, her eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh. It's fake."

She turned the card over and looked at the back, then the front again. "Mele Kalikimaka Lane?" she laughed. "Seriously? 'Merry Christmas' Lane?" She handed Vico back his I.D.

Vico leaned back on his elbows. "Say what you will, but I've never been busted. I could hook you up with one too, Cals. No problemo."

"I don't want one," she replied, shaking her head.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Hello? My mom's a cop," she reminded him.

"So," he shrugged. "That just means that if you _do_ get caught, you'll get away with it."

Callie bit her lip, considering his comment. "Nah. I'll pass. I waited too long to get off probation." She furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "So this is how you make your money? Fake I.D.s?"

"One-hundred bucks a pop," he bragged. "Tons of kids around here want one, and will pay good money for it. But it's been hard to keep up with demand. I need to figure out an easier way to make them, before I lose business."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Vico spoke up again. "You know, you might be able to help me out."

"How?" Callie asked, confused. "I don't know how to make fake ."

"Your mom is the vice principal," he reminded her. "She as the keys to the office, where the I.D. maker is. If you snagged that key for me, it would make my job a lot easier."

"Are you serious?" she asked with a nervous laugh. "I can't steal from my mom. Besides, why do you need to do this? You're rich."

"Yeah, and my dad is a total hard ass. Do you think I ever see any money from him?"

"You could get a job," Callie pointed out. "You know, one that's actually _legal_?"

He looked at her, annoyed. "I'm not busting my ass for minimum wage, when I can make triple the cash in a day." He sighed heavily. "So, are you going to help me, or not?"

"No," she told him, more firmly than she felt.

"Come on, Cals," he prodded. "I'll make a copy of the key, and give the original right back to you. No one will miss it, and it's not like we'll be hurting anyone."

"My moms trust me," Callie replied, torn. It had taken her so long to earn their trust back. Did she dare risk losing it again? "I don't want to get in trouble."

"You won't," he promised. "They'll never know." He reached over, and squeezed her thigh. "Think of all the nice things I could buy you."

Callie flinched as he grip on her thigh gradually became painful. "Cut it out," she cried. "That hurts."

"Say you'll bring me the key and I'll stop."

"I said no," she breathed, gritting her teeth.

"Say it," he repeated, narrowing his eyes.

She squirmed as his nails dug into her flesh. "Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "I'll get you the key."

"Good girl," he smiled, releasing her leg. Five pale, crescent-shaped nail marks were left behind. He looked up at them, his face clouded with anxiety, then he glanced up at Callie, who's eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

"Hey, I'm sorry, Cals," he told her. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just playing." He pulled her into his arms and gave her a tight hug. "Forgive me?"

Callie wanted to say no, but then, she relented, feeling guilty. She'd done so many stupid things in the past; made so many mistakes. And her family gave her a second chance. Didn't everyone deserve a second chance? "Okay," she breathed. "I forgive you."

Vico smiled and gave her a wet kiss on the mouth. As he pulled away, he looked into her dark eyes. "Have the key tomorrow morning."

**To Be Continued**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

When Callie got home, she waited and waited for the right moment to betray the trust of one of the two people she loved most in the world. Time was ticking away, and she needed to get that key.

In a big family, it was difficult to sneak around and keep secrets. Someone was always around. All she could do was hang out in the living room, waiting for the window of time when she would be alone downstairs, just for a few minutes, and yet, wishing it would never come. as her luck would have it, though, it did. She sneaked into the hall, and began rummaging through a bowl that held the keys, and other odds and ends. Next to the bowl, there sat a pile of junk mail. On top, there was a flyer from a used car lot. They were doing some kind of promotion, and there was a key taped to the front; one of those generic keys that may or may not open the door to your dream car. You had to go to the lot and try it out to see if you were the winner. Callie eyed the key, tempted to give it to Vico instead of the real office key. But she knew he'd figure out it was a fake right away, and then he'd be mad.

_I'm sorry, mom, _she thought, as she found the office key on Lena's key ring. Looking around, she quickly slipped it into her bra and turned away. As she spun around, she nearly bumped into Lena.

"Oh. I'm sorry, sweets. I didn't see you there," her mother apologized.

Callie gulped, stepping aside. "It's okay."

"Do you need something?" Lena asked, furrowing her brow.

"I was just looking for a paperclip," Callie lied. It was scary how easily she could come up with a cover story.

"There's some right in the drawer," her mother told her. "Help yourself."

"Cool. Thanks." She wriggled uncomfortably as the key dug into the tender skin of her breast, and she forced a weak smile. "Mom?" she asked, looking not quite into Lena's eyes, but just over her shoulder. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

Lena's face lit up, and she reached out to hug Callie. "Yes... but I never get tired of hearing it. I love you too, Slug-a-bug." She leaned down and kissed Callie's temple, her beautiful curls tickling her cheek.

* * *

"So, did you get it?" Vico asked, as soon as she got in his car the next morning.

"Good morning to you, too," she told him, half-joking, half-seriously.

"Oh. Yeah. Good morning," he replied, smoothing his big hand over her hair. He leaned down and gave her a kiss. His mouth tasted like an onion bagel. It was rather unpleasant. It was funny, she thought, how mouths could taste so different. Wyatt's mouth tasted sweet, like a Blow Pop. She later found out it was because he used children's bubble gum toothpaste to brush his teeth. She laughed when he revealed that fact to her. Liam's mouth tasted the worst; stale like old beer. But Brandon's mouth was definitely the best. It tasted like the cinnamon toothpaste Lena bought at the health food store. His were by far the best kisses she'd ever had.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Vico. "So, did you get it or not?"

"Yes," Callie sighed. "But I feel really weird about this. I don't know if I should be giving it to you."

"Come on, baby," he pleaded. "A deal's a deal. You promised."

"Okay, okay." She reached into her pocket and slid the key out. "Here. But make sure you give it back."

"I will," he nodded, studying the key. "You're amazing, Cals. And don't worry. There will be something in this for you."

* * *

Over the course of the morning, Callie began to feel worse and worse. The longer her guilty thoughts raced through her head, the more her stomach clenched in pain. By lunchtime, she knew she couldn't face the smell of cafeteria food. Reluctantly, she dragged herself to Lena's office, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Lena called from inside.

Callie opened the door, and say her mother at her desk, eating a chicken salad sandwich and typing on her computer. "Hi, sweetheart," she smiled. "What's up?"

Callie looked at her through wet eyes. "My stomach hurts. I want to go home."

"Again?" said Lena. "Come here, honey." She pressed her hand to Callie's cheeks and forehead. "You feel a little warm to me. Where does your stomach hurt?"

"Like, right here," Callie told her, gesturing to the middle of her abdomen, just above her belly button. "I feel like I'm gonna puke."

"Okay," Lena finally nodded. "I have a meeting in fifteen minutes, but I can call mom and see if she can come and get you." She patted her daughter's arm lovingly. "Who don't you go and lay down on the couch, baby."

"Okay," Callie nodded. She crossed the room to the leather couch that stood against one wall of the office, and settled down on it as Lena picked up the phone.

After she got off the phone, Lena took a bottle of chilled water from the small fridge in the corner and uncapped it. "Mommy's on her way, love," she told her. "She should be here in a few minutes." She handed Callie the bottle. "Drink this, and try to relax."

"Thanks mom," said Callie.

Lena smiled and brushed her hair from her forehead. "You're welcome. I just hope you feel better soon." She leaned down and kissed her forehead before going back to her work. "I'll be right at my desk if you need anything."

Stef arrived just before Lena had to leave for her meeting. "Hi, babe," she said, giving her wife a quick kiss. Then, she crossed the room to Callie. "Well, hello angel. How are you feeling?"

"Not great," Callie confided. "My stomach hurts."

"This is the second time this week," said Stef. "I think it's time to take you to the doctor."

"Do I have to go?"

"I think you should, baby. Don't worry. You'll be fine."

* * *

When Callie and Stef got home, Stef walked her upstairs. "I've got some laundry to fold," she told her daughter. "Why don't you go put on your PJs, and you can come lay down in our bed, and keep me company."

"Sounds good," said Callie. She looked to her mother apologetically. "I'm sorry you had to leave work because of me."

"You don't need to apologize, love bug," said Stef. "I'm your mama, and it's my job to take care of you."

"So, you don't mind?'

"Not a bit. Besides, it's been a slow day." She touched her hand to Callie's cheek. "Go on and change. I'll be in the other room."

Callie nodded and hurried to her own room, taking her lightest pajamas from the dresser. She could see her bed reflected in the mirror, and she remembered the letters she'd tucked under there. She wished she hadn't; it wasn't as if they didn't haunt her enough at night, disturbing her sleep like the Telltale Heart, a story she'd read when she was in Timothy's class. She didn't want to look at them, but she had to make sure they were still there. Crouching down, she peeked under the dust ruffle, and saw them, shoved toward the wall, collecting dust. She'd gotten lucky so far. No one had asked about them. But they would, and she dreaded the day she'd have to tell her moms that she wasn't going to college.

"Are you okay, Callie?" Stef called from down the hall.

"Yeah!" she called back, pulling her shorts on. "I'm coming." She shut the door behind her and went to her moms' room, crawling into the huge bed.

There was a brown teddy bear with button eyes propped against the pillow on Stef's side of the bed. Callie picked it up and smiled. "This is cute."

Stef looked up at from her laundry and nodded. "It's just something I had as a kid. You can have it if you want it."

"Are you sure?" Callie asked.

"Of course, baby girl. It's yours."

"Thanks," said Callie. "I used to have a bear sort of like him when I was little." She hugged Stef's bear to her chest.

"Yeah?" her mother asked. "What happened to it?"

"Someone stole it," she replied. The same was true for most of the few toys she and Jude were allowed to bring when they went into foster care.

"Well," said Stef. "Now you have a new one."

"This one means more to me, though," she told her. "Because it's from you."

"Thanks, honey," Stef smiled, touching her hand.

"Mama?" Callie asked, her mind suddenly drifting back to Vico and the key. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"If you help someone do something illegal, but don't actually do it yourself, can you still get blamed for it?"

"Yes," Stef nodded. "You'd be an accessory to crime." She chuckled a little. "Why do you ask, love?"

Callie shrugged. "Just something for school." She sat up a little against the pillows, her mouth filling with a sour taste.

"Mama?"

"What?"

"I'm going to be sick."

"Oh, lord," said Stef, reaching for the wastebasket under the nightstand. She held it up to her daughter, patting her back as she vomited.

When Callie lifted her head, she was in tears.

"Baby," Stef breathed. "Shh. Don't cry." She took her in her arms and hugged her close. "My sweet girl"

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I didn't mean to."

"Honey," said Stef, pushing back Callie's damp hair. "You did nothing wrong. You're sick. It was an accident."

Callie trembled as her mother handed her a tissue. "Thanks."

"My poor baby," Stef whispered. It broke her heart to see her children sick or crying, no matter how old they were. "Lay down now. It's okay. Really." Callie reclined against the pillows, and she took the wastebasket into the bathroom. When she returned, she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Want me to rub your tummy?"

Callie nodded wearily, and Stef placed her hand on her stomach and massaged it in gentle circles.

"That feels good," Callie told her, holding the teddy bear at her side. She felt, and most likely looked, like a five-year-old, but she didn't care. At that moment, all she wanted was to be safe and sound with her mother watching over her. It was a comfortable, warm feeling, and it filled some of the empty space inside her.

"I could sing to you," Stef offered. "But I have a terrible voice, so you might end up feeling worse.

Callie laughed a little, her tears drying on her cheeks. "That's okay. Just having you here is enough. I love you, mom."

"I love you too, baby. More than you'll ever know."

Callie sighed, closing her eyes. She wanted so badly to tell her mother everything about Vico, the key, and the fake I.D.s. But she was in too deep now. She was an accessory to crime. She thought about her time in juvie and shuddered.

**To Be Continued**

* * *

**Note: the next chapter will cover the prom, just before things go from bad to worse. Stay tuned!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11.

The next week went by in a blur, it seemed, to Callie. The doctor couldn't find anything physically wrong with her stomach, and she didn't think he would, anyway. It was only a matter of time before the stress she was under manifested itself physically. After a while, she stopped telling anyone about her stomach aches, because she knew her moms couldn't leave work to take care of her every time she felt ill.

The day before the prom, Vico and Callie were sitting on the beach, when he handed her a small velvet box, smiling proudly. Callie held it in her hand delicately, studying it, feeling it's softness. She knew expensive things came in those types of boxes, though she'd never received anything in one until then.

"Well, are you going to open it or not?" he teased.

"I'm getting to it," she replied, lifting the lid with her fingernail. Inside, a small diamond teardrop pendant on a delicate white gold chain sparkled bright. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

"A beautiful necklace for a beautiful lady," he said, taking it out of it's box. "And your reward for helping me out."

"Wow," said Callie. She should have known her gift was bought with money he'd made from the fake I.D.s. "Thanks."

"My pleasure," he replied. "Here. Let me put it on for you."

Callie touched her mother's necklace and winced. She would have to take it off. She never took it off. It was as much a part of her as having brown hair.

"Just let me take this piece of junk off," he told her, unhooking her gold chain. "I'm surprised it hasn't turned your neck green yet." He removed it, and tossed it on the sand.

_"No!"_ Callie's eyes filled with tears as she watched her mother's necklace fly through the air. She dove forward, and picked it up, grasping it tightly in her hand.

"Great, Callie. Real nice," Vico grumbled. "I give you this expensive necklace, and you care more about that piece of shit. How is that supposed to make me feel?"

Callie pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them as her tears fell. "For your information, this 'piece of junk' is the only thing I have left of my mother." She tucked it in the velvet jewelry box, and shoved it in her purse.

"Fine. I'll just take this necklace back," he told her. "Or maybe I'll give it to someone who will appreciate it."

Callie looked up at him apologetically. "I do appreciate it. It's just, my old necklace means a lot to me. You didn't have to throw it out like that."

Vico's face softened. "Hey. I'm sorry," he said, putting his hand on her back. "But you need to wear my gift from now on." He lowered the chain over her head and clasped it. "There. Perfect."

* * *

"Well, hello handsome," Stef smiled, greeting Zac at the front door.

"Hello, Mrs. Foster," he nodded, stepping into the house.

"How's your mama doing?" she asked.

"About the same," he replied. "Not any better, but not any worse."

Stef reached out to him and gave him a hug. "You're a good son, Zac. And I'm glad you could make it up here for a visit."

Zac had traveled from his father's house in Arizona to go to prom with Mariana and to spend the weekend with the family, and Stef couldn't be happier. He was a sweet boy, and she hoped he and her younger daughter would last for a long time. She could see them getting married someday. It was obvious they loved each other very much.

"Let me go check on the girls," she told him. "Mama's upstairs helping them get ready." Brandon and Jesus, on the other hand, were already dressed in their tuxedos, watching TV, their ties loosened. But that was boys, for you.

She went up to the girls room, and found Callie and Mariana standing in front of the dresser as Lena misted their hair with hairspray. "Hi there, my princesses," she said, admiring her daughters in their gowns. "You both look lovely. Are you about ready?"

"I'm ready," Callie replied. "Is Vico here yet?"

"Not yet, sweetheart," Stef told her. "I'm sure he'll be here soon." Vico had rented a limo to bring everyone to and from the prom. "But Zac just got here."

Mariana smiled, blushing. "I can't wait to see him."

"He can't wait to see you," her mother promised.

"Okay, Miss Thing," Lena said, turning Mariana around. "You are ready. And both of you look stunning. Those boys aren't going to know what hit them."

Stef smiled, then furrowed her brow. There was something different about Callie, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something was just... off. Then, she realized what it was. Callie wasn't wearing her mother's necklace. She was wearing a new one. After learning the meaning behind Colleen's necklace, Stef never thought she'd see the day when her daughter would trade up, and in her heart, something didn't feel right.

"That's pretty," she said, reaching out to touch the teardrop pendant.

"Thanks. Vico gave it to me yesterday," Callie explained.

"Well, that was very sweet of him," she replied in a neutral voice. For some unexplainable reason, she felt like crying.

"Limo's here," Jesus called from downstairs.

Stef turned back to her daughters. "Well, I guess it's showtime, my Cinderellas.

* * *

It was amazing to Callie how fast the prom was going by. She and her siblings had to stand with their dates for what seemed like hours, as Stef and Lena snapped picture after picture. And now, it was almost time for the last dance of the night.

She glanced over at Mariana and Zac, and smiled. Mari was nestled against him, letting him hold her close as they danced. Mariana had confided in Callie the night before, so she knew that later that night, her younger sister and Zac were planning to lose their virginity to each other. Callie wished her first time could have been that special. It was something she could never get back, now. But she was happy for her sister. She'd been having a rough time making her long distance relationship work. It was good to see them still so in love.

"May I cut in?"

Callie turned to see Brandon standing there. She looked questioningly up at Vico. "Do you mind?"

"Go for it," he shrugged.

Callie let Brandon take her by the hand and lead her away. "This is the last dance," she fretted. "Don't you want to dance with Lou?"

"I've been dancing with Lou all night," he said casually. "Now I want to dance with my best girl." He laughed nervously. "I mean, my best _friend._ You- you look beautiful tonight."

He put his arms around her waist, and she wrapped hers around his neck, as the slow song began. Dancing with Brandon, Callie couldn't help but smile as her mind immediately went to the awkward dance lesson they took in preparation for Mariana's Quinceneara. She remembered being so nervous that day, her stomach tensing as Brandon led her in a clumsy waltz while Talya gave her the stink eye from the sidelines. Funny, how what seemed so embarrassing at the time had become one of her favorite memories ever.

"Listen, Cal, said Brandon, quietly. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting lately. Really, I am."

Callie nodded, biting her lip. "Thanks. But it's okay."

"I'm just worried about you," he explained. "I... you know I love you. And I don't want to see you get hurt. Vico has a really bad reputation."

_Brandon loves me_, she thought, heat rising to her cheeks. Then, she scolded herself. She had a boyfriend, and Brandon was supposed to be her brother. "I have a bad reputation too," she reminded him. "Nobody's perfect."

"True," he replied tentatively. "But Vico is supposed to be involved in some pretty sketchy things. And he didn't treat Lexi very well back when they dated. You must be pretty special. He treats everyone else like dirt, but... I guess he's nice to you."

"Do we really have to discuss this now?" Callie asked in a whisper. She just wanted to enjoy the moment for as long as she could.

Brandon shook his head, his eyes shining. "Just... promise me you'll be careful, Cal?"

"Yes, dad," she teased.

"I'm serious," he retorted. "Promise?"

"I promise," she replied in a more sober tone. "Thanks... for caring so much."

He nodded again, gently caressing her back. "Any time. I'll always be there for you."

**To Be Continued**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

"So, how was it?" Callie asked the next morning, as soon as Mariana woke up.

Her sister smiled dreamily. "It was perfect. Well," she added, "sort of. I mean, it was messier than I thought it would be, and it hurt at first. But... yeah." She blushed deeply.

"Wait. Where did you guys actually do it?" Callie wondered. She'd been vaguely aware of her sister slipping out of the room the night before.

"On the old sofa bed in the basement," Mariana divulged. "Not exactly the most romantic place, but we didn't really mind, so it's all good." She crossed the room to Callie's bed, walking with an awkward gait.

"Sore?" Callie laughed.

"Just a little," she admitted. "Okay. A lot." She looked at Callie questioningly. "Did it hurt when... you know?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded, looking down into her lap. She recalled the morning after she was raped, holding her breath as she sat down to breakfast, then suffering through an uncomfortable day of school. "It did."

"Probably a lot more than it did me," Mariana realized, her face sullen. "Sex with Zac was great, but it never really hit me until now what you must have went through. That vulnerability was a little scary, even for me, and I was ready. You weren't."

"Look," said Callie. "I really don't want to talk about this right now. Please?"

"Okay," her sister nodded. "But Callie? I'm sorry that happened to you. It shouldn't have. And... you're the strongest person I know. I know it sounds corny, but I really do look up to you."

"Thanks." _If only she knew what I did, _Callie thought to herself. _I'm a terrible role model._

* * *

After lunch, Callie got a text from Vico, asking her to go with him to a "sort of after-prom party."

"Can I please go?" she asked Lena. Stef and Jude had run to the grocery store for pizza ingredients.

"Well, we were going to have a family dinner tonight, while Zac is visiting..." she replied.

"It will be after dinner," Callie promised. "I didn't go to the last party because I was sick. I don't want Vico to think I don't want to hang out with him."

"Will there be adults at this party?"

"I guess so," she shrugged. "Probably. You can trust me. I won't do anything wrong."

"It's not you I don't trust, slug-a-bug," Lena told her. "It's everyone else. If I let you go, I want to make sure you'll be smart about it. Don't go off with anyone you don't know, and if you set your drink down, even for a second, do not drink it. Throw it away. And if you need us, don't hesitate to call. We'll come pick you up."

"I understand," said Callie.

"And no alcohol whatsoever," Lena added.

"I know," Callie nodded. "So, is that a yes?"

"It's a maybe," her mother replied. "I need to check in with mom first, before I give you a definite answer."

* * *

When Stef came home, she reluctantly gave permission. So, after dinner, Callie stood in front of the mirror in her room, dressing before Vico picked her up. She brushed her hair until it shone, then studied her reflection. She was wearing black skinny jeans, and soft flannel shirt. She wrinkled her brow with disappointment. She was wearing her street clothes; the kinds of things she wore every day. She knew Vico wanted her to dress sexier, but the truth was, she didn't own anything that really fit that description.

Just then, Mariana came into the room, looking for her phone. "That's what you're wearing?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

"I don't have anything else." She wasn't much of a clothes-horse. She preferred to dress for comfort rather than fashion.

"Girl, you need help," Mariana laughed. "I probably have something you can borrow." She threw open the closet, and started flipping through the hanging garments. "This," she said, "is perfect." She tossed a nautical-striped crop top to Callie, then dug through the dresser until she found a short navy blue skirt.

"Thanks," said Callie. She quickly changed into her borrowed outfit, then modeled it for her sister. The skirt skimmed the middle of her thighs, and was a bit snug; she was curvier than Mariana. The hem of the shirt just touched the waistband of the skirt. When she moved, it revealed a strip of skin. "How do I look?" she asked, feeling slightly exposed and not much like herself.

"Cute," her sister praised. "Now let me do your hair and makeup."

"Okay." She sat down on the edge of her bed, as Mariana worked on her. When she was finished, she went downstairs to wait for Vico to pick her up.

"Callie?" Stef gasped, when she saw her.

"Mariana gave me a sort of makeover," she explained. "Do you like it?"

"You look very pretty," Stef replied. "But you don't really look like... you. It just kind of caught me off guard." In all honesty, she thought her daughter was wearing a bit too much make-up. She missed Callie's fresh, naturally beautiful face.

"I was just trying something knew," Callie told her. "Trust me. I could never dress like this every day."

"Just don't try to be someone you're not," said Stef. "Because we love you just the way you are."

At that moment, Vico rang the doorbell.

"Bye," said Callie, hugging her moms. "See you later."

"See you later," said Stef, kissing her forehead. "Have fun and be safe."

"And be home by curfew," Lena added.

* * *

"Have a drink," Vico urged, shoving a red plastic cup toward Callie.

"No thanks," she replied, slightly uncomfortable with the fact that her boyfriend was the one who provided the keg for the party.

"Since when are you a nun?" he laughed, more than a little drunk.

"I just don't like beer, okay?" She yawned with boredom.

"Come on," he said. "Let's find someplace quieter. I can't hear myself think in here." He took her hand and led her roughly down a hall, weaving around couple hooked up in corners and discarded cups, and up the stairs.

"Let's go in here." He opened the door, revealing an empty room. It was apparently a guest room, spartan bare and dark.

Callie heard the door shut behind her, then Vico pushed her up against it, and smashed his lips against hers, driving his tongue into her mouth over and over. "You are so hot," he muttered, as he groped her.

Callie gagged, a result of his tongue being shoved down her throat and the taste of the beer on his lips. Beer repulsed her; the taste and the smell. It brought back horrible memories.

Vico lifted her up over his shoulder, and carried her to the bed. Then, he hovered over her, kissing her swollen lips with dominant, demanding movements. Callie held onto his shoulders to steady herself, trying to keep up. And involuntarily, she sighed with pleasure when he kissed a sensitive spot on her neck.

"You like that, baby?" Vico whispered. He grabbed her hands in his, holding them over her head, and kissed her again. Then, he slid his hands up her shirt.

The rough make-out session continued, progressing further, until Callie found herself shirtless, straddling Vico as he ran his hands down her stomach. She leaned down, trying to seem sexier, and licked his lips before darting her tongue into his mouth. But she stiffened when she felt him stealthily unhook her lacy bra, as if he'd done it many times before.

"What are you doing?" she asked, pulling up the straps, self-consciousness burning at her cheeks.

"Trying to get a piece of ass," her replied nonchalantly. He tugged one bra strap back down. "But you're not making it easy."

"I'm not gonna sleep with you," she told him, appalled, as fear began to creep into her. Would he force himself on her, like Liam did?

"Come on," he persisted. "I can rock your world, Callie." He reached under her bra and squeezed her breasts hard.

"I'm not ready," she told him, now thoroughly frightened.

"Oh, like you're a virgin," he accused. "Lighten up, Sister Mary Margaret. Don't be such a tease."

"I said I don't want to," she replied, trying to climb off of him. But he grabbed her shoulders, trying to shove her down on the bed.

"Stop!" she gasped. She yanked her arm away from him, releasing her shoulder from his grasp. It painfully hit the headboard, the impact causing her to whimper. "I said no."

"Fuck, Callie!" he shouted. "Fine. Just forget it."

"I'm going home," she told him, tears running down her cheeks. She fixed her bra, then pulled her shirt over her head, before heading to the door.

"Wait!" Vico called. "Let me drive you home?"

Callie turned to him and shook her head. "No. I'll walk."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, reaching for her hand.

Sighing, Callie's face softened. "It's nothing personal, okay? You've been drinking. My mother died in an accident caused by my father. He was drunk."

"Well, at least let me walk you home," he suggested. "It's late. There might be creepers out there."

"I can take care of myself," she replied. "But I'll let you walk me out." She turned away, with Vico following close behind.

When they got to the sidewalk, he regarded her sheepishly. "Look," he said. "I'm really sorry. I did not know you would freak out like that."

"I have my reasons," she shrugged.

"Forgive me?"

"I'll think about it."

Vico put his arms around her, and gave her a light kiss on her sore lips. "Goodnight."

Callie nodded, and dutifully kissed his cheek. "Goodnight."

As she walked home, her shoulder throbbed where it had hit the headboard. She touched it, rubbing the knot away. A chill passed through her spine, and she looked over her shoulder, then picked up her pace, anxious for the warm, cozy, safe atmosphere of home.

* * *

Stef poured herself a glass of wine and sat back on the sofa, putting her feet up. Lena had already gone to bed, but she usually waited up when one of the kids were out late, especially if it was one of the girls.

She took a slow sip of red liquid from her glass, and closed her eyes, letting the wine warm her from the inside out. Soon, her muscles began to relax.

Just then, the front door opened, and Callie came in, hanging her jacket on the hook. She turned around and smiled. "Hi, mama."

"Hi, love," said Stef, yawning. "Come. Come sit with me for a little while"

Callie plopped down beside her on the sofa, and Stef put her arm around her. "Cutting it a little close to curfew, aren't you, honey?"

"Sorry," her daughter apologized.

"It's okay," Stef told her. "You were close, but you made it."

Callie nodded, resting her head against her mother, and wrapping her arms around her. Stef lovingly combed her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Can I have some?" Callie asked, noticing the glass of wine in her mother's hand. She loathed beer, but she had nothing against wine.

"Of course," Stef nodded. "In three years,"

"Come on," Callie pleaded. "Just a sip?"

Stef rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, recalling when she was a child, and her father would sometimes let her have a taste of his beer. "Okay," she relented. "Just a tiny sip."

"Thanks," she smiled. Stef passed her the fluted glass, and she delicately put her lips to the rim and tested the dark red liquid. She held it in her mouth a moment before swallowing.

"Smooth," she nodded appreciatively, handing the glass back.

Stef laughed, hugging her closer, and kissed her soft hair. "I love you, baby girl."

Callie held onto Stef a little tighter. "I love you too." She sighed longingly. "I wish it could just stay like this forever."

"What do you mean, honey?"

"Right now," she explained. "It's nice, just the two of us hanging out. I wish it could last longer."

"We can spend time together anytime you want, sweetheart," Stef reminded her. "I always have time for my babies."

"But soon I'll be on my own," she pointed out. "It won't be like this anymore."

"Don't worry about that, love," said Stef, brushing her daughter's hair behind her ear. "We have our whole lives to hang out." She squeezed Callie's shoulder, and the young girl's face went pale as she cringed from her touch.

"What's the matter, Cal?" she asked with concern. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Stef asked. "It seemed like you were in pain just now." She reached over and pressed her fingers to her daughter's shoulder. Callie's body tensed at the pressure.

"Let me see." She pulled the collar of Callie's shirt aside a few inches, and revealed a darkening bruise, harsh against her smooth skin. "How did you get this, baby?"

"Oh. I, uh, just bumped it on something. It's nothing. Just clumsiness."

"I see," Stef nodded. "Well, I didn't mean to hurt you, sweetheart."

"I know you didn't," Callie replied. "It's okay."

"Do you want me to get you an ice pack?" Stef asked. "It looks sore."

Callie shook her head. "Nah. I'm fine. I'm gonna go to bed."

"Okay," her mother said quietly. "Goodnight, baby doll. I love you."

"I love you too," Callie told her, before kissing her on the cheek. "See you in the morning."

Callie went to her room, her heart heavy with guilt. She was angry with herself for lying to her mother. Until recently, she'd never lied to Stef and Lena. Not since she ran away from home. She was the good kid. The dependable, responsible one.

As she undressed and changed into her nightshirt, she felt like crying.

"Where did you get that bruise?" Mariana asked from her bed.

Callie whipped around, startled. She'd forgotten her sister was in the room. "I fell out of bed last night It's no big deal." _Great_, she thought. _I lied to mama, and I lied to Mariana. What's wrong with me? _She crawled into her bed and switched off her lamp, and Mariana did the same.

"Hey?" he sister whispered in the dark.

"Yeah?" Callie asked quietly.

"I helped you get dressed earlier. You didn't have a bruise then."

**To Be Continued**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

Monday morning, Callie awoke to a dreary, overcast day. She looked across the room, and saw Mariana staring up at the ceiling, tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked. "You okay?"

Mariana brushed her tears away, then turned to her. "I'm just a little down. Zac's going home today."

"Oh," Callie nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," her sister shrugged, sitting up. "I'll be fine."

"Mariana?" Callie asked.

"Hmm?"

"Please don't say anything to moms about that bruise you saw. Okay?"

"Why not?" said Mariana suspiciously. "Did someone hurt you?"

"No," she lied. "I just don't want to worry them about nothing. You know, they have a lot going on right now."

"Callie," Mariana said, staring her down. "I love you, but you're a terrible liar. Did... did _Vico_ give you that bruise? Because if he did, you should tell someone."

Callie sighed, going to her sister's bed. "He did give me the bruise, but he didn't mean it." She looked at Mariana pleadingly. "It was an accident. We were making out, and I fell back and hit my shoulder on the bed. That's all that happened."

"Must have been a pretty heavy make-out session," Mariana replied, not completely convinced. "Do you promise it was just an accident?"

"Yes," said Callie. "I promise. Please don't say anything, Mariana? Remember... I know about the Zac thing."

"Fine," she sighed, now that she was backed into a corner. "I won't say anything. But if it happens again, I have to tell moms."

Callie wrapped her arms around her, giving her a quick hug. "Thanks."

After breakfast, Zac gathered his stuff, waiting for his dad to pick him up and take him home. Callie watched from the sofa as he and Mariana hugged and kissed each other goodbye, both of them in tears. Then, he was gone.

She wondered if she and Vico could ever be like that; if he'd ever look at her the way Zac did at her sister.

* * *

"So, do you forgive me or not?" Vico asked at lunch. They'd taken to eating away from the crowd of students, alone on the beach where it was quiet.

"I haven't decided yet," she told him, stuffing her empty lunch bag into her backpack.

"Okay," he shrugged. "Then give me my diamond back."

Callie touched the pendant on her chest wistfully. "You want it back?" She'd grown to like the necklace. It made her feel special; loved. Even Mariana didn't have a diamond from Zac, and they were what she considered to be the perfect couple. Having the necklace made her feel one step closer to what they had.

"Why should I buy you an expensive gift like that if you're going to treat me like shit?" he asked. "You should be begging _me _for forgiveness."

"Why?" she said quietly. "You were the one who acted like a jerk at the party."

"What?" he spat, looking at her as if she were an idiot. "_I_ did nothing wrong. Not a thing. You're the one who led me on, then acted like a total spaz."

She studied him with surprise. Had she really misread the situation so badly? Because Vico seemed to think that _she_ was in the wrong. "You think I led you on?"

"You did," he told her. "I mean, you were wearing that skimpy outfit, then you let me take your shirt off. You were sitting on top of me! You were acting like a tramp. What was I supposed to think?"

"I didn't know you felt that way," she told him, blushing. "I was just trying to be flirty, you know?"

"Well, you suck at it," he laughed. "Why did you flip out anyway? Aren't you attracted to me?"

She glanced at him, then looked down at her feet. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Is it because of Brandon?" he asked. "Because you were pretty handsy with him at prom. Are you sleeping with him?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "It's nothing like that."

"Then tell me."

"No. I don't want to!" she protested, growing more humiliated by the second.

Vico dug his foot into the beach, and kicked sand at her, showering it over her legs and arms.

"Hey!" she cried, trying to brush the sand off her skin and clothes. "What did you do that for?"

"Because I'm sick of your damn secrets!" he shouted. "We can't work if I can't trust you." He kicked some more sand at her, his face turning red with frustration.

"Fine," she sighed impatiently, quickly scanning the beach to see if anyone was staring at the scene he was causing. "I'll tell you. Just stop yelling at me!"

He sat down beside her, seemingly satisfied, and she folded her knees to her chest, tears burning her eyes.

"A few years back," she began, "I was in a foster home not too far from here. The family had an older son, and we would always flirt with each other. Then one night, he came into my room and raped me. I lost my virginity to him. And it was really scary."

She looked up at her boyfriend tearfully, her hands shaking. "That's why I freaked out at the party. Things were moving too fast, and I thought..." she turned away, filled with shame. "I thought you were going to do the same thing to me. I can't help it. That fear is always there."

Vico studied her intently, his expression unreadable. Then, he took her hand and squeezed it. "Thanks for telling me that, Cals."

"Are you still mad at me?" she asked.

"Nah," he shrugged. "As long as you apologize."

She nodded, chewing her lip nervously, relieved that their fight was over. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Huh?"

"Say, 'I'm sorry for acting like a filthy slut.'"

She blushed crimson at his request. "I'm not saying that, Vico."

"Then, apology not accepted."

She looked down, trying not to cry any more in front of him.

"Just say it, and I'll forgive you," he told her.

She sighed, her chin quivering, and quickly mumbled her apology. "I'msorryforactinglikeafilthyslut."

"That's all I needed to hear," he smiled. He leaned in and kissed her. "You're forgiven."

* * *

Callie came home from school late, because she stayed after to review for finals. When she finally got in the door, she saw that Stef was already home, and she and Lena didn't look happy. With the mood she was in, that was all she needed.

"Callie?" said Stef. "Come with us to your room. We need to sit down and have a serious talk."

"What did I do?" she asked, her tongue thick with panic.

"We'll talk upstairs," Lena told her.

On the way up the stairs, Callie realized what must have happened. They knew about Vico and the bruise.

Stef knocked on the bedroom door, and Mariana answered. "Yeah?"

"Can mama and I please get a minute alone with Callie?" she asked.

"Sure," said Mariana. "No problem."

When she stepped into the hall, Callie gave her a hard look. "You told?" she mouthed silently.

Mariana shook her head in protest, before walking away.

The moms herded Callie into her room, and led her to the bed. Right away, and with a sinking feeling, she saw her college letters spread out on the bedspread. And she knew what her moms were upset about.

"Mom found these today," Stef told her, picking up the three letters.

"Why were you snooping through my things?" Callie asked her mother with suspicion.

"I wasn't snooping," Lena told her calmly. "I was just vacuuming your room, and I happened to see them. And I'm glad I did. They've been there since you got them, haven't they?"

Callie shrugged, embarrassed. "I guess so."

"And is there a reason you hid them?" Stef asked. "Because it looks like you got into a great school, here." She showed her the letter she held in her hand. "We don't quite understand what's going on."

"I just..." she stuttered. It was time to tell them the truth. "That school is in Arizona."

"And?"

"I didn't get into the one I wanted," she replied. The one in California. The one that was only thirty minutes away. "So, I decided I'm not gonna go to college at all."

"What?" Lena cried. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Callie nodded. "I just want to get a job, earn some money. I'm tired of being in school."

"You may get a Summer job," Stef told her firmly. "But you _are_ going to college, young lady."

"No, I'm not."

Stef sighed, unprepared for an argument. "It's not an option, Cal. You're going, and that's final. Now, you have until the count of ten to lose the attitude." She began to count slowly.

"You can't make me go!" Callie protested. "It's my life!"

Stef paused at the number eight. "Exactly. It _is_ your life. And we aren't going to let you waste it."

Callie looked away angrily, and Stef sighed, turning to her wife. It occurred to her that their daughter might feel more comfortable being confronted by one parent, rather than both. "Can I please speak to Callie alone?"

"Of course," said Lena, rising to her feet and leaving.

"Talk to me, honey," said Stef, once they were left in the room. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she told her.

"Don't be like this," Stef pleaded. Callie's behavior at that moment was so unlike her. They normally had such an open, honest relationship. "We're just trying to make sure you have every opportunity. We love you, and we want you to succeed in life. You're such a smart girl."

She put her hand on Callie's shoulder, just over where her bruise would be, and remembered the night before. She still wasn't completely sold on her daughter's lame excuse for the injury, and vowed to question her other children and see if they knew anything later. "I'm not mad at you, slug-a-bug," she promised. "Just sad for you. Right now, I miss my sweet girl."

"I'm not as good as you think I am," Callie muttered, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes, you are," said Stef. "Callie, you're an _amazing _girl. I know something is bothering you. I wish you'd tell me. We usually tell each other everything."

"I just want to be alone," said Callie. "Please?"

"That's fine," Stef replied. "Take all the time you need, because you're grounded until you can explain why you lied to us and hid your letters. I hate to punish you, but I have no choice. Do you understand?"

Callie looked at her, her eyes rimmed with dark circles. "Yes. I understand."

"Okay," she nodded, looking into her daughter's big brown eyes. "Dinner is in an hour. I love you." She kissed Callie's cheek, then stood up.

"Mama?" said Callie.

"Yeah?" she turned around, hoping her daughter was ready to talk.

"I love you too," Callie told her.

"Thanks, honey." She paused again, looking at the sulky teenage girl with sympathy. "Callie, if something big was bothering you- if you were in some sort of trouble- you would come to us, right?"

Callie simply nodded.

"Okay. Just making sure."

** To Be Continued**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14.

"Mariana?" Stef called. She found her younger daughter in the living room. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I guess so," she shrugged. "What's up?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I'm worried about your sister, and I was thinking- hoping, actually- that you could give some insight."

She sat down beside Mariana, placing her hand over hers. "Have you noticed Callie acting... I don't know... different, or strange?"

Mariana's heartbeat sped up, but she hid her anxiety well, rubbing her chin lightly. "I hear her crying at night, sometimes."

"Really?" Stef asked. "How often does that happen?"

"I don't know," Mariana replied. "A few times a week."

Stef nodded, concerned. "Did you happen to notice a strange bruise on her shoulder?"

Sucking in her breath, Mariana looked down into her lap. She wanted to tell the truth, but she promised not to. "Yeah. She fell out of bed the other night," she lied, using Callie's cover story.

"That's not what she told me," said Stef. "She told me she bumped into something. Do you remember anything else?"

"No," said Mariana, shaking her head.

"Okay. Let me know if you do, yes?"

"I will."

* * *

As soon as her mother left the room, Mariana hurried to the bathroom and locked herself in. Then, she dialed Lexi on her phone, silently begging her to pick up.

"Hey, girl!" said her friend, as bubbly and cheerful as ever,

"Hey," she said. "Listen... I need to ask you about something."

"Okay. What is it?" her friend asked.

"Callie's dating Vico," she explained. "And I was just wondering... what was he like when you guys dated?"

"Ugh," Lexi sighed. "You had to bring him up, when I was having a good day."

"Sorry," Mariana apologized. "I'm just worried about Callie. Should I be worried?"

"Tell her to stay away from him" said Lexi. "He's bad news."

"What do you mean?" Mariana knew of Vico, but she didn't really know him personally.

"He's really bossy," Lexi told her. "Really controlling. And he has a bad temper. When he loses his temper, he can be the biggest jerk."

"Did he ever hurt you?" she asked, growing more upset by the second.

"Yes," Lexi quietly admitted. "Most of the time, he just yelled at me and called me names. But he did hit me a few times. I'm really glad I got out when I did, before things got worse."

She was silent for a moment, then continued. "Callie better do the same."

* * *

Once Mariana hung up with Lexi, she sunk down on the closed toilet, her head spinning. Her suspicions were right. Vico was abusive. Lexi had recognized it and gotten out of the relationship, though. Why didn't Callie? Then it hit her: Lexi was always so confident and sure of herself. Plus, she had Jesus to lean on. Maybe Callie's poor self-esteem made her more vulnerable than Lexi? Maybe she thought she needed Vico, or even _deserved_ to be treated that way? Nothing in her past, up until coming to live with them, would lead her to believe otherwise.

Mariana jerked her head up when someone banged against the bathroom door.

"Are you almost done in there?" Jude called. "I have to pee!"

She stood up, and opened the door. "It's all yours, Judicorn."

Standing outside the bathroom door, Mariana realized she needed her big brother. He always listened to her and gave her advice. She hurried across the hall, and burst into Brandon's room.

"Can't you knock?" her brother asked, from where he sat at his keyboard.

Sighing with frustration, Mariana turned around and tapped on his open door. "There."

"Ha ha," he replied sarcastically. Then, he noticed the fear in his sister's eyes. "Hey- what's up?"

Mariana shut the door, then turned to him. "I need to talk to you. It's about Callie."

He looked her in the eye and nodded. "I'm listening."

They sat down side by side on Brandon's bed, and Mariana told him all about the bruise, and how Callie had gotten it. "She asked me not to tell moms," she explained, her eyes filling with tears. "And I didn't. But I'm worried, Brandon. Vico used to hurt Lexi. I think he's doing the same thing to Callie. I don't know what to do!"

Brandon squeezed his eyes shut, his heart aching. "I had a feeling something like this would happen." He wrapped his arms around his sister, resting his chin on top of her head. "Don't worry, okay? I'll figure something out."

"Thanks," she breathed. "But please, Brandon, don't tell Callie I told you all of this."

"I won't," he promised. "You have my word."

* * *

That evening, Callie only picked at her dinner, then went upstairs without saying two words to anyone. Concerned, Stef went up to check on her, and found her curled up in her bed, staring blankly at the wall.

"Honey," she said, going to her and touching her arm. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," she nodded, rolling over. "My stomach just hurts a little."

Stef placed her hand on Callie's stomach, rubbing it lightly. "Callie, love... I want to know why you lied to me about that bruise on your shoulder."

Callie's eyes widened as she looked up at her mother. "I didn't lie."

"Yes you did, sweetheart," Stef replied. "You told me you bumped into something, and you told Mariana that you fell out of bed. I want the truth, and I want it now."

"I _did_ bump into something," Callie replied. "The floor, when I fell. What's the big deal, anyway? I'm fine."

"The big deal," said Stef, "is that I'm very worried about you, honey. You're defensive, you haven't been eating right, your stomach always hurts, and you've been so secretive." She brushed back Callie's hair and gazed into the beautiful chocolate-colored eyes that she loved so much. "I don't know what's bothering you, baby. But I _promise_ you that if you just open up to us, you will feel so much better."

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I'm just stressed about school."

"Well, say you're not fine," Stef told her. "We'll love you just the same. Remember that."

"I will," said Callie. "Thanks, mama."

Stef smiled, patting her daughter's stomach one last time. "You're welcome."

* * *

The next morning, Vico met Callie at her locker. "Hey," she said quietly, as he leaned in to kiss her.

"Hey," he said impatiently, leaning against a neighboring locker. "So, we're going to the wrestling banquet Friday night. Dress up, okay?"

Groaning internally, Callie looked at him sheepishly. He'd mentioned the end of the year wrestling event once, but it had completely slipped her mind. "Vico," she sighed. "I'm really, really sorry, but I can't go."

"What?" he looked at her with disgust. "Why not?"

"I'm grounded," she explained. "I lied and talked back to my moms, and I'm being punished."

"So," he shrugged. "Sneak out."

"I can't," she told him, looking around. The halls were quickly clearing as students made their way to class. "I'm in enough trouble already."

"Do you always do what mommy says?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Then, he spoke again, his voice more sober. "How is that going to look, me showing up without a date?"

"Look," Callie breathed, irritated. "I can't go. Get over it."

She immediately regretted her words when Vico sucked in his breath and raised his hand. And she flinched as he struck her cheek with a hard slap; hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"Dumb bitch!" he snapped. "You don't _ever _talk to me like that again." He grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard, rattling the lockers. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," she nodded, touching her stinging cheek. "I'm sorry."

With one hand, he gripped her arm tight. With the other, he pointed a thick finger at her. "You'd better be. You show me some respect."

Vico stormed off angrily, and Callie leaned against her locker, breathing slowly and steadily, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Callie?"

She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Brandon turn the corner, his handsome face creased with worry. "What happened?"

He studied her hard, touching his fingers to the reddening hand print on her cheek.

Callie backed away as if his touch were poisonous. "Nothing. Just go to class."

He held up a bathroom pass, then stuffed it back in his pocket. "Do you think I'm going to believe that's nothing?" he asked, pointing at her cheek. "Callie, _he_ did that to you, didn't he? Vico. He hits you."

"My relationship is none of your business," she hissed, wishing he would just leave her alone. All she wanted was to be alone.

"Some relationship," Brandon replied. "Why do you stay with someone who treats you like that?"

Callie didn't answer his question, and he continued to stare at her, unwavering. "I can't keep this a secret," he sighed. "He's going to hurt you a lot worse than that someday, and I don't want to see that happen. Look... you have one week to break up with him and tell moms about this. If you don't, I'll tell them myself."

"You're bluffing," she accused.

"No, I'm not," he told her. "One week."

"Brandon, please," she pleaded, close to tears.

He studied her, his heart softening. But he resolved to stay firm. He had to, for her sake. "One week, Callie."

** To Be Continued**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

"Mama?" said Callie quietly, approaching Stef. "There's something I need to talk to you about. Are you busy?"

"No, not at all, sweetheart," Stef chirped, a little too eagerly. Callie had bore her grounding for three days already, and her hope was that the battle of wills was finally going to end; her stubborn daughter was finally going to open up to her equally-stubborn mother. "Have a seat."

Callie sat beside Stef on the sofa, facing her, her hands folded in her lap. "I'm really, really sorry that I lied to you and mom. I didn't mean to hide anything from you. I don't know why I did it. I was just stressed about school and stuff, and those letters seemed like one more thing to worry about. I just wasn't ready for them."

"Thanks for telling me, love," said Stef reaching out to take her hand. "And you know, you don't have to deal with the stress alone, honey. We'll always be there for you if you let us."

"I know," Callie nodded. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Stef smiled. "And since you came to me, I suppose... your punishment is lifted."

"Really?" Callie asked. "I'm not grounded anymore?"

"No, you're not," Stef told her. "You're a free woman."

"Then, is it okay if I go out tomorrow night?" She looked to her mother hopefully.

"I guess so," Stef replied.

* * *

The next evening, Stef spotted Callie as the young girl hurried through the living room, toward the door. "Hey, Cal," she said, realizing she'd hardly seen her daughter all day. "Come here and let me give you a hug before you go out."

Callie paused at the coat rack. "I-I'm in a hurry," she stammered.

"Oh, you have time for a quick snuggle," Stef insisted. "Come here and give me some sugar."

Callie finally smiled and went to her, wrapping her arms around her ribs. Once she was in her arms, Stef hugged her tight, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you, mama," Callie breathed, resting her cheek against her mom's shoulder.

"I love you too, baby doll." Stef pressed her lips to Callie's forehead and was surprised by how warm she was. "Do you feel okay, love?" she asked, touching her hand to her daughter's cheek.

"Yeah," she replied. "Why?"

Stef held her at arm's length. She could feel the perspiration that dampened Callie's long sleeves. "You're a little flushed, and you feel awfully warm to me."

She fingered the sleeve of Callie's light cardigan. "Why are you wearing this sweater, honey? It's so hot today."

"I was cold," she shrugged.

"You're sweating, Cal," Stef sighed. "Why don't you take that off? You're going to get sick. Here-" She reached out ad began to peel the sweater off her shoulder.

"Stop!" Callie protested, pulling away. But Stef had already seen the marks; small, rounded bruises dotting her forearm. Callie closed her eyes in shame, remembering the day before, when Vico had twisted her arm behind her back, making her beg and plead for him to stop. Then, he'd asked her to tell her mothers something, anything, to make them end her punishment. She'd never wanted anyone to see the bruises, and now, there they were, out in the open.

"Oh, Callie," Stef breathed, still gripping the sweater. "Is there something you need to tell me, baby?"

"It's nothing," Callie lied.

"Callie, I wasn't born yesterday," Stef replied. "I'm a cop. Those were made by human hands." She took Callie's hand and squeezed it. "Honey, did Vico do that to you? Does he ever hurt you?"

"No," said Callie insistently. "He would never hurt me. Things just got a little rough in gym class. Really."

"You'd better not be lying to me," Stef warned. "It scares me to see marks like that on you."

"I'm fine, mom. Really!" said Callie, turning back toward the door.

"Honey, I don't know if I want you going out tonight," Stef told her. "I think you should stay in."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I said so," Stef replied. She remembered how much she'd hated hearing her own mother use that feeble excuse when she was a rebellious teen. She always thought it was just a cop-out. But now she understood; sometimes, a mother didn't need a reason to tell their children what to do. Sometimes, their reasons couldn't be verbalized.

"But that's not fair!" Callie cried. "You said I could go out yesterday!"

"And now, I'm saying you can't," her mother replied firmly. "I'm serious."

"But I have a thing tonight!" Callie appeared to be close to tears.

"I don't care, love. Tonight, you need to be home." She put her hand on Callie's back, and guided her toward the stairs.

"Mama," Callie sighed weakly. "Please?"

"No," said Stef, one more time. "I'm sorry, honey, but I need you to trust me on this."

Callie nodded and went upstairs, her shoulders sagging.

"Why can't she go out?" Lena asked, coming in from the kitchen. She'd obviously heard at least some of what happened.

"I just don't feel comfortable letting her go," Stef replied. "Something is going on. Ever since... I don't know... ever since she got that necklace, she's been acting weird. And this is the second time I've discovered strange bruises on her body."

"Do you think-?" She regarded Stef, communicating without words. She didn't have to speak for her wife to know what she was thinking.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "And I intend to find out. But I really hope not."

* * *

"I can't go out," Callie told Vico on the phone, in a hushed voice.

"Why not?" he asked. "I thought you weren't grounded anymore."

"No, I'm not," she explained. "My mom just doesn't want me to go out tonight."

"Then sneak out," he suggested.

"You know I can't," she replied. "I'd never get away with it, with everyone around."

"Like they'd even notice, with all those kids," he laughed. "What's wrong, Mary Margaret? Are you scared?"

"No, I'm not scared. And stop calling me that. My name is Callie."

"But that's your nun name," he teased. "Sister Mary Margaret Foster... cloistered and celibate."

"Wow," said Callie sarcastically. "Those were some big words."

"I read," he chuckled. "Listen, M&M. I promise, sneaking out is weird at first, but after you do it once, it gets easier and easier."

Just like lying, Callie thought to herself. "What if I don't want to sneak out?" she asked.

"Oh, you know you want to," he replied. "I'll come for you later. Be there... or get thee to a nunnery."

"Will you stop it?" she hissed. Maybe she was afraid to sneak out. But she knew, in the back of her mind, that she was even more afraid not to.

* * *

It was all a blur, Callie realized. She barely remembered slipping out the back door after her sister was asleep. But she must have, because there she was, in Vico's car. He'd parked on a rocky cliff overlooking the city lights. It was a starless night, hot and muggy, and her curfew had just come and gone.

"Let's go for a walk," Vico suggested, opening his car door. Callie nodded, slipping out into the thick night air.

They walked side by side, toward the edge of the cliff. When they got too close to the drop, Callie backed away with a shudder.

"What's wrong, Cals?" Vico asked. "Afraid I'm gonna push you over the side?"

"You're sick," she snapped, annoyed. He'd been making fun of her all evening, and it was getting old.

"I'm just kidding," he laughed.

"I'm a little bit afraid of heights," she admitted, kicking a pebble.

Hearing this, Vico got a devilish grin on his face. He scooped her up in his arms, and carried her to the edge of the cliff, acting as if he was about to toss her over the guard rail

"Stop it!" she screamed, her heart pounding. "Please put me down. Please!"

Vico laughed maniacally and set her on the ground. "Can't you take a joke?"

"That wasn't funny!" she shouted. "You scared the hell out of me! I almost peed my pants!"

"Almost?" He raised an eyebrow. "Let's see if I can get you to do it for real." He grabbed her and began to tickle her ribs relentlessly.

"Cut it out!" she laughed, wriggling in his grasp and kicking her legs. Soon, tears were running down her face. "Stop!"

He finally stopped tickling her before her bladder gave out all together. Instead, he wrapped his thick arm around her head, holding her firmly at his side so she couldn't escape. "This is one of my favorite wrestling moves," he told her. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I could break your neck right now, if I wanted to."

Callie's sweaty skin turned clammy, and she could actually feel the color drain from her face, as she realized that her boyfriend really _could _kill her in an instant, if he chose to. "It's getting late," she told him, her voice shaking. "Please, take me home."

* * *

Slipping back into the house was easy. Almost too easy. She took off her shoes and silently crossed the kitchen. She just made it to the living room when a light shone in her face.

"Freeze, young lady."

Callie looked up to see Stef standing by the sofa, holding a flashlight. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," Callie mumbled, looking down at her stocking feet.

"Do you know what it's like as a mother to discover that their child isn't in her bed?" Stef asked, approaching her. "It's the most terrifying feeling in the world. I've been through it once already with you. It's something I never wanted to experience again." In spite of herself, she burst into tears. "I don't know what's happening. It's like you're not even our Callie anymore."

"No!" Callie protested, her eyes stinging. "Mama, it's _me_. I'm still your Callie." She reached out to hug Stef, feeling two inches tall.

"Then I wish you'd start acting like it," Stef sobbed. "Because I've never been so disappointed in you."

"I'm sorry," Callie sniffled. "Mama, please believe me."

Just then, Brandon came down the stairs, roused from his sleep by the commotion. "It's not her fault," he piped up.

"What?" his mother asked, turning around.

"Vico's making her act like that," he told her. "She doesn't want to, but he... he has some kind of hold on her."

"Stay out of this!" Callie snapped, shooting him the dirtiest of dirty looks.

"Callie, is this true?" asked Stef. "Did Vico ask you to sneak out tonight?"

"No," she replied without missing a beat. If she told on Vico, she'd never hear the end of it. And after tonight, the little grain of fear she once had for him had grown.

"She's lying," said Brandon.

"Callie?"

"I'm not lying," she insisted. "It was my idea, and I'm sorry. You can ground me if you want, I don't care. But I'm so, so sorry."

"It's very late," Stef sighed. "We'll deal with this in the morning. Both of you, go back to _bed_." She looked Callie in the eye, emphasizing the word 'bed.'

Callie and Brandon nodded, turning to walk away.

"Callie?" said Stef, calling her back.

"Yeah?" she turned around questioningly.

"Please, don't ever scare me like that again."

Callie nodded knowingly, crumbling with guilt. "I won't."

Once they were upstairs, Brandon turned to her. "Why did you do that?" he asked.

"Just stay out of it, Brandon," she replied.

"No," he told her, shaking his head. "I can't stay out of it. You can be mad at me all you want, but I _know_ you love mom."

"I do."

"Well, can't you see how much you're hurting her? He's making you do that. What he's doing to you isn't hurting him at all; just you, and the people you love." He sighed regretfully. "Don't forget. Your week is almost up."

**To Be Continued**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

The last day of Callie's week fell on the second to last day of school. And her choice was already made. She'd thought it over late at night, running the scenario over and over in her mind when she was too afraid to sleep. And after yesterday, she knew what she had to do. Vico had turned her into the shell of a human being. It was time to take her life back, not just for herself, but for the people she loved, whatever the consequences.

Standing outside Brandon's bedroom door, she knocked softly, then let herself in.

"Hey," said Brandon, turning to her.

She waved slightly, then took a deep breath. "Brandon," she said quietly. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to break up with Vico."

"You are?" he asked, relieved.

"Yes," she nodded. "Tomorrow night, after the senior cook-out."

"What made you change your mind?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Callie slowly pushed the waistband of her jeans down her hip. "This."

Brandon gasped, and his heart seemed to stop. Callie's entire left hip was covered in a mottled red and purple bruise. It stood out shiny on her skin, marring her body. "What the hell did he do to you?" he asked, nausea rising in his throat. More than anything, he wanted to feel his hands around Vico's neck. He wanted to squeeze the life out of him, and watch him suffer.

Callie pulled her jeans back up, and let her shirt fall, covering the ugly bruise. Once it was hidden, she sat down on the bed. "We were just hanging out," she explained. "We were play wrestling. I thought we were just having fun, but then, he started getting rough. I asked him to stop, and he wouldn't. He kicked me with his knee, and then he stood up and kicked me again. He beat me."

She sighed, too drained to even cry. "You were right, Brandon. I should have listened to you."

"Hey, don't worry about that," he told her, putting his arm around her. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I'm scared," she confided.

He nodded, still holding her. "I know. But it has to be done. You shouldn't have to live like that." He rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. "Do you want me to be there when you dump him?"

"No," said Callie, looking up. "I have to do it myself."

"But Callie..." he protested. "You don't know what he's capable of."

"No," she said again. "It's my battle. I don't want to get you involved. Especially since-"

"Since what?"

"Since, I might go to jail."

He studied her, perplexed. "Why would you go to jail? You didn't do anything wrong."

"You don't know!" she told him. "I did. I... I gave Vico the key to the office, so he could make fake I.D.s and sell them to kids at school. If I leave him, he'll narc on me, and I'll be in trouble."

Brandon took Callie into his arms and gave her a hug, refusing to let go, even as the seconds passed. They needed each other. "You won't go to jail," he promised.

"Mom said if you help someone do something illegal, that makes you an accessory to crime."

"Not if someone bullies and threatens you into doing it," he told her. "Which, I'm sure he did."

Callie nodded against his chest. "Really?"

"Really. Callie, you will not go to jail. Mom won't let that happen." He held her closer, petting her hair. "And neither will I."

* * *

"Can you believe this is that last time I'll ever pack a school lunch for our babies?" Lena asked Stef. "I could just cry. Couldn't you, mommy?"

She really could. "It doesn't seem possible," she smiled, as her wife handed Brandon and Callie their lunches. Stef took Callie in her arms, hugging and kissing her, and Lena took Brandon. Then, they switched kids.

"Good luck, my loves," Stef told them, her eyes filling with tears. "Have a good day."

"You've both worked so hard to get here," Lena added. "And we're so proud of you."

With that, and some final hugs, Callie and Brandon followed Lena out the door, where their sibling were already waiting in the car, ready to face their last day of high school.

Once the house was empty, Stef sat down at the table, and let her tears fall. The house never seemed so quiet.

* * *

Callie opened her lunch bag, and pulled out the paper napkin. Scrawled on it was one of Lena's notes; the last she'd ever receive.

Dear Callie,  
Hope your last day of high school is wonderful! You're a very special young lady and mom and I are so proud that you're ours. Whatever you choose to do in life, I know you will succeed. You were born to do great things. You can change the world... and we'll be right beside you.

We love you so much!

-Mom (and mama)

Smiling, Callie tucked the note safely in her pocket. She needed it with her. It would give her strength when she needed it most.

* * *

The backyard was full of shadows, brought out by dusk. Callie stood near the gate, eying Vico nervously. He'd just brought her home after the cook-out. It was time for the inevitable. Brandon had begged her and begged her to let him be there with her, but she'd refused. She wanted to do what she had to do herself. She wanted to let Vico know he couldn't control her anymore. But once it was all said and done, and she was standing before her boyfriend, she wished she'd taken him up on his offer.

Taking a slow breath, she touched the note in her pocket, then cleared her throat. "Um," she began. "I- I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Vico asked, a suspicious look in his eye.

"I've been thinking," she stammered. "And, I don't think we should be together. I'm not happy in this relationship."

"Are you breaking up with me?" he asked, anger rising in his voice.

"Yes," she admitted. "I'm sorry. But I don't want to see you anymore."

* * *

"Did Callie get home yet?" Stef asked Mariana. Brandon had already dropped Lou off at her house after the cook-out and come home. She was beginning to feel worried about her daughter.

"No. I don't think so," Mariana replied.

"Well, she better get herself home soon," Stef fretted. "It's almost curfew."

"I thought I heard a car pull in a little bit ago," her younger daughter told her. "Maybe she's outside?"

"I'll check." Stef went to the back door and looked out. What she saw in the shadows of the trees made her blood run cold. Callie was out there, and Vico was gripping her arm, shaking her around like a rag doll. Without a second of hesitation, Stef burst outside and marched up to him.

"You!" she shouted. "Let go of her now!"

Callie turned to her desperately as her boyfriend dropped her arm.

"We were just goofing off," Vico told her, laughing. "Chill out."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Stef asked him. "I saw you hurting her." She turned to her daughter. "Go inside, Callie."

"No," Callie protested. Dark blood shone on her lip.

"I am your mother!" Stef snapped. "I told you to go in the house. Get. In. The damn house!"

Callie looked at her, shocked for a moment, then turned away.

"I want my diamond back, bitch!" Vico called out.

Stef held Callie back and unhooked the necklace, grabbing it away from her. "Here," she spat at Vico, as her daughter hurried inside. "Take your cheap necklace." She threw it at him, and it landed at his feet, sparkling in the grass.

Moving toward him, she grasped the collar of his shirt in her hand, looking him in the eye. "You little bastard! If you ever put your hands on my daughter again, or even come near her, you'll be in handcuffs. That is, if I don't kill you first. I want you to get the _hell _off my property, and don't you ever come back!"

Vico's skin was so pale, it was nearly translucent in the moonlight. He picked the necklace up from the ground, then silently got into his car and took off.

Once she was satisfied that he was gone, Stef went inside. In the living room, Callie sat on the sofa as Lena cleaned her split lip. Jude sat next to her, holding her hand. Callie herself was sitting rigid and silent. She wasn't crying at all, and that was what worried Stef the most.

"Callie," Stef sighed, approaching her. "I'm so sorry. I've had a feeling something was going on. I should have gotten to the bottom of it sooner. I failed you."

Callie's eyes were distant, haunted, and she made no reply.

Stef knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in her own. They were freezing cold. "I'm going to tell you something that I want you to remember," she began. "You have been abused in the past, and sometimes, people who have been abused end up in abusive relationships later in life. I don't know why; it's just the way it is. But honey... you are not a victim. You're a _survivor_. You don't need to be involved with people who hurt you. You're an amazing girl, who deserves to be loved."

"You _yelled_ at me," Callie accused, her voice shaking. "You've never done that before."

Stef nodded guiltily. "I did, baby. And I'm so very sorry. But I was scared for you. I know what's best for you, honey. If I tell you to do something, you need to trust me and do it. Forgive me?"

"I guess so," Callie shrugged, standing up. "I'm going to bed now."

* * *

Once she was gone, Stef went to find Brandon.

"Listen, B.," she said quietly, taking him aside. "I owe you an apology. You were right about Vico, and I should have listened to you. I'm so sorry."

"What did he do to her?" he asked, his face creased with worry. "Is she okay?"

Stef shifted her weight, trying to explain what happened. "Vico has been mistreating Callie. And it could've been prevented if we listened to you from the start."

Brandon nodded knowingly, the dark shadows under his eyes deepening. "I have a confession to make too. I knew what was going on. But I gave her a chance to break up with him herself. I think that's what set him off tonight. I should have came to you the first time he hurt her."

He sighed deeply. "But mom?"

"What, sweetheart?"

"When it comes to Callie, you can trust me. She means a lot to me, and I'll always try my best to protect her."

"That's very noble of you, honey."

"Well, I love her," he replied. "I'll always love her."

"She's very lucky to have you in her corner," Stef told him.

Brandon nodded. "Well, I'm gonna get to bed now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. I love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

"Hi, honey," said Stef, quietly approaching Callie's bed.

"Hi," she replied.

Taking the corner of Callie's sheet in her hand, she pulled it up and around her. "I know it's been a while since I've tucked you in," she explained. "But I thought you could use the comfort tonight."

Callie's face lit up with a small smile. "Thanks."

Gently, Stef touched Callie's lip. "You look just like you did the first day you came into this house. We really have gone full-circle, haven't we?"

She sighed, brushing back her daughter's hair. "I'm so sorry I shouted at you, sweetheart. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. It's just, when I saw someone hurting my..." Her voice broke as tears filled her eyes. "My _baby_, I went ballistic. Do you still love me?"

"Of course I do," said Callie. "I know you were just trying to protect me."

"And you know that what he did to you is not okay, yes?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I think I've known it all along."

Smiling, Stef patted her daughter's hand. She was pleased to see that the young girl was wearing her mother's necklace again. "Goodnight, slug-a-bug. I love you." She bent down and gave Callie a soft kiss.

"I love you too, mama," said Callie. "Goodnight."

Stef started to rise to her feet, when Callie grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "Wait. Will you stay with me? I don't want to be alone." Her dark eyes were pleading.

"Of course I'll stay with you, baby," Stef told her, her heart aching. "Scootch over."

Callie made room for her in her bed, and Stef settled in beside her, and shut off the lamp. "There. I'll be right here when you wake up."

For a while, they lay in silence, Callie staring blankly into the darkness and rubbing the bridge of her nose. Stef had just begun to doze off when her daughter suddenly turned on her side and wrapped her arms around her. Surprised, she held her, stroking her back as she kissed her cheek.

Callie returned the kiss, then buried her face in Stef's chest and burst into tears, eventually crying herself to sleep.

** To Be Continued**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

Stef was stiff and sore when she awoke the next morning. It had been a long night. Callie had woken from a fitful sleep several times. Each time she stirred, Stef hugged her and rubbed her back, reassuring her until she nodded off again.

Now it was early morning, and light filtered through the window. Stef watched Callie sleep, her long lashes fanned against her cheek, and her chest slowly rising and falling. Every so often, she snored softly. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful, that Stef almost regretted the difficult things they'd have to deal with when she woke up. Things that should have been dealt with the night before, but that they were all too tired and shaken up to face until daylight.

Callie curled up closer to Stef and slowly, her eyes fluttered open. "You're still here," she whispered sleepily, as if she couldn't believe it.

"I promised I would be," Stef whispered back, pressing her lips to her forehead. "Good morning, angel."

"Good morning."

Mariana was still asleep, and the room was still. They were the only ones awake. Stef gently stroked her daughter's hair. "You woke up a lot last night," she told her. "Are you scared about what happened, baby? Because, you know, mommy will protect you. You don't have to be afraid."

Callie shrugged, snuggling closer. "I never sleep very good." She anxiously brushed her finger over her nose. "I have bad dreams."

"What about?" Stef asked with curiosity. "If you want to say, I mean."

Callie managed a weak smile. "The things I don't want to think about during the day."

Stef was speechless for a moment, surprised by her daughter's honesty. "Honey, you know that if you ever get scared at night, you can always come sleep in our room. Don't hesitate to wake us up."

"Thanks," said Callie. "But I don't want to get into the habit. What will I do in the Fall?"

Stef didn't reply with words, but a soft kiss on the cheek. It still hurt too much to think about her baby girl, who still needed her so much, leaving home. So, she decided to change the subject.

"Sweetheart, why don't you grab your bathrobe and come with me," she said, slipping out of bed.

"Where are we going?" Callie asked.

"To the bathroom," she replied. "I want to check you over for injuries."

"But I'm fine," she told her.

"You never know," said Stef. "It's better to make sure. And I want to do this before everyone wakes up and the mad rush for the bathroom begins."

Callie nodded, and reluctantly followed her mother to the bathroom.

"Undress to your underwear and put this on," Stef told her, handing her the bathrobe. "I'll step out while you change, if you'd like."

"I have to get naked?" Callie asked, her eyes wide.

"No, not completely," her mother replied. "But you don't have to be shy, sweetheart. Really. You don't have anything I don't have."

"Okay."

"I'll be right in the hall," she told her, leaving the room.

Several minutes passed, and Callie still hadn't opened the door to let her know she was ready. Concerned, Stef tapped on the door. "Are you changed yet, honey?"

No answer.

"Cal? Are you okay?" When her daughter didn't answer a second time, she became worried, and decided to just go in. She turned the knob, and opened the door. Callie was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, her robe hanging loosely over her shoulders, staring into space.

"Callie, baby, are you alright?" Stef asked, locking the door behind her. "What's the matter?"

She shook her head, as if coming out of a trance. "I don't know. I'm scared."

Stef sat down beside her, and put her arm around her. "I know, sweetie. But we're going to take care of everything today, so you can get on with your life."

She hugged her, then helped her to her feet. "Can you open your robe for me, love?"

Callie looked away from her shyly, blushing.

"Please, honey," Stef encouraged. "You're being so brave. I need you to work with me."

Callie nodded so slightly, it was barely a nod at all, then untied her robe. Stef's hand flew to her mouth at the sight, and her eyes filled with tears. "Oh my..."

Callie pulled the robe around her, turning away.

"No, no. Leave it," Stef directed. "You're doing fine, love. I just didn't expect...this."

Callie opened her robe again, and Stef forced herself to face what she was seeing. The biggest bruise was on Callie's hip. It was the color of a storm cloud. But her ribs and chest were also badly bruised. "Can I see your arms, too?" she asked patiently.

Callie let the robe drop to the floor. Bruises also marked her arm, where Vico had gripped her the night before. Cautiously, Stef touched her hands to her daughter's ribs, pressing them gently, feeling for breaks. "Does that hurt, baby?"

"A little," Callie confided. Then, she cried out when her mother touched a particularly tender spot.

"I'm sorry, love," Stef apologized. "I'm trying to be really careful." She ran her hands over Callie's collar bone and chest. "How did you get these bruises?"

"He, uh, kicked me," Callie replied, distracted.

Stef sucked in her breath, wishing she had killed Vico when she had the chance. "Are you in pain anywhere else?"

"My arm hurts," she told her, quietly.

Stef gently took her forearm in her hands. It was warm to the touch and bruised. "It's a little swollen," she observed. She squeezed it with a light pressure.

"Ow!" said Callie, pulling it away protectively.

Sighing, Stef helped her put her robe back on. "I'm taking you to the emergency room, Cal. You need to get x-rays."

"No!" she protested. "Mama, I'm fine!"

"You're not fine, baby. You need to get checked. Go get dressed."

"I don't want to go," she sighed, with tears in her eyes.

"I know you don't," Stef nodded. "But remember what we talked about last night? You need to trust me on this. Can you do that?"

"I'll try."

* * *

Two hours later, Stef sat in a small room with curtains for walls, waiting for Callie to return from getting X-rays done. Finally, the nurse came back, with Callie following behind.

"We'll have the results as soon as the doctor reads them," the nurse explained. "It should be around fifteen minutes."

"That's fine," said Stef. "Thank you."

As the nurse left, Callie sat down in a chair next to her mother, resting her head against her shoulder. "I hate hospitals," she sighed.

"You're not the only one, kiddo," Stef laughed, wrapping her arm around her. "I hate them to."

"Being here reminds me of-" She paused mid-sentence. "Never mind."

"Of what?" Stef asked. "You can tell me."

"Of when you got shot," she replied quietly.

"It's okay to talk about it, sweetheart," Stef told her. "I don't mind."

"But it upsets you."

"Yes, but, it's better to talk about it than not. What was going through your head that day? Do you remember?"

Callie nodded. "Yeah. I was so worried about you. I was scared that I was going to lose another mom. And I remember feeling really lonely when I didn't get to see you, like everyone else did." She trembled a little as she spoke. "I was afraid I wouldn't get to say goodbye, again."

"Honey," Stef sighed. "I'm sorry you didn't get to come in and see me. I would have loved to see you." She ran her fingers through Callie's hair. "But I had no intention of dying. I had some unfinished business to take care of."

"Marrying mom?" Callie asked.

"That's was one thing," Stef confided. "The other thing was adopting my Callie girl and my Jude. We'd already talked a little about adopting you two before the shooting. I could not leave this world without knowing my babies were safe and taken care of."

"I'm glad you're okay," said Callie. "I don't know what I would do without you. You're my best friend."

"Am I really?" Stef asked, touched.

Callie nodded against her shoulder. "Yes."

Stef kissed the top of Callie's head, smiling into her hair. "Thanks, sweetie. You're my best friend too."

"I thought mom was."

"You're allowed to have more than one best friend," she told her, patting her shoulder.

"Can you feel the bullet inside you?" Callie asked.

"No," she replied. "Not really. Kind of weird that it's in there, huh?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I think that would freak me out."

"I've come to appreciate it, though," Stef told her. "It's a reminder to be careful. And it's a reminder of how precious life is."

Just then, the doctor came into the room. "Well," he said. "We've read the X-rays, and the good news is, Callie has no broken bones. But she has some minor bruising on the ribs and a sprained wrist."

"What should we do for her?" Stef asked, concerned.

"She'll need to take it easy and get plenty of rest" the doctor explained. "And we'll put a splint on her wrist. She can take Advil and apply ice as well."

Stef nodded, taking Callie's hand. "Thank you, doctor."

"You're welcome," he nodded. He turned to Callie. "Now let's get that splint on you so you can go home."

Once Callie was discharged from the emergency room, wearing her splint, she and Stef headed home.

"Why didn't you tell me you were in pain last night, honey?" Stef asked. "That sprain must have hurt."

"Honestly, it didn't hurt all that bad," Callie confided. "I can take pain. This wasn't the first time I've been beaten."

"Well, no one is ever going to put their hands on you again," Stef promised.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell us what was going on, honey?" Lena asked, later that morning. She and Stef had brought Callie into their room to talk. She'd just gotten through explaining each and every incident of abuse.

"I was too scared," said Callie. "I didn't know what to do."

"Did he threaten you at all?" Stef asked, taking notes. "We need to know everything."

Callie nodded, looking at them tearfully. "Yes. But if I tell you, please, promise you won't arrest me?"

"Arrest you?" Stef gasped, shocked. "Baby, why would I arrest you?"

"I did something bad," she told them, brushing away her tears. Then, slowly, she explained about the key, and the fake I.D.s.

Stef took her daughter into her arms and hugged her, once she was finished speaking. "Callie... oh, sweetheart," she sighed, half laughing and half crying. "Mama's not going to arrest you. No one is." She wiped away her tears with a tissue and kissed her. "I promise, love. Really. You have my word."

"I didn't want to do it," she sniffled. "But he made me."

"I know, honey."

"I hated hiding things from you guys," she confided. "But I was too afraid not to. He was the one who put that joint in Brandon's pocket, too. I'm so sorry for lying to everyone. I wish I could take it all back. I understand if you're mad at me."

"We're not mad, honey," Lena told her, placing her hand on her back. "None of this was your fault. You should never feel that it was. What he did was basically extortion."

"Mommy's right," said Stef. "It's all on him. And we have more than enough evidence to press charges."

"I don't want to press charges against him," Callie protested. "Please, no."

"Why not?" Stef asked, perplexed. "He needs to be punished for what he did to you."

"I'm tired of being the victim," she told them. "It didn't work with Liam, remember?"

"You lost your case against Liam because of lack of evidence," Stef reminded her. "But I saw what Vico was doing to you with my own eyes."

"If he goes to jail, it will ruin his life," Callie pleaded. "I know what it's like in jail. It's horrible."

Stef reached out and caressed Callie's cheek. "You have such a tender heart, honey. You're such a sweet, caring girl. That's why we love you so much. But it's unfair to _you_ if he goes without consequences. You deserve justice. And who's to say he won't go and do the same thing to another girl? You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"No. I guess not."

"Besides, baby," said Lena. "I know his parents, and I can almost guarantee that they will bail him out of whatever trouble he gets into." If it was her own child, she thought, she would rather see him own up to his own actions. But the Cerar's where the kind of people who thought they owned the world. And Vico had inherited their sense of entitlement, or so it would appear.

"In that case, I think we should take out a restraining order against him as well," said Stef, jotting down a quick note. "So, Callie, do you mind if I arrest him? Mind you, I'm going to do it whether you want me to or not."

Callie looked at her intensely for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. Do it."

* * *

Vico's house was huge, set behind a long paved driveway. Mike and Stef pulled into it, and got out of the cruiser. He was just as upset as Stef and Lena were about what happened to Callie; he thought of all the kids as his own, in some small way. And Stef had to admit, when the kids needed him, like when Callie ran away, he really stepped up to the plate for them.

Stef grasped the heavy metal knocker on the Cerar's front door, pounding it hard against the wood. "Police!"she called.

A woman around her own age answered, looking frightened. "May I help you?"

"Mrs. Cerar?"

The woman nodded. "Yes?"

"Is your son here?"

"Yes he is," she replied. "Is there a problem?"

"Please call him," said Mike, in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

Mrs. Cerar called Vico, and he came to the door. He went pale when he saw Stef standing there.

Stef eyed him with a hard, cold look. "Mr. Cerar, you're under arrest."

** To Be Continued **


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18.

"Hey, sunshine!"

Callie looked up to see Brandon standing in her bedroom doorway. "Oh. Hey."

He held out a bouquet of red carnations in a vase, with a balloon attached to it that read; Get Well Soon. "Brought you something."

"You didn't have to get me anything," said Callie, though she couldn't help but smile. "but thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, setting the vase on her nightstand. "Pretty sucky was to start Summer vacation. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," she sighed. "But pretty good, other than that."

Brandon laughed, and sat down on the edge of her bed. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Cal. You didn't deserve it. That asshole didn't know what he had."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You're awesome," he told her. "Any guy would be lucky to have you."

"Thanks," she said, blushing. She paused, shyly. "Brandon, do you remember that joint that was in your jacket pocket?"

"Yeah. How could I possibly forget?"

"Vico did put it there," she admitted. "I'm really, really sorry for sort of getting you into trouble."

"It's okay, Cal," he told her. "All that matters to me is that you got away from him. Besides, you also got me _out_ of trouble."

"I felt really guilty about it from the start," she confided. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

He shrugged. "I don't need anything."

"But I want to do something," she protested.

"Okay," he sighed. "How about a hug?"

Callie smiled, sitting up against her pillows. "It's a deal."

Brandon took her in his arms, gently wrapping them around her. Callie leaned into him as he held her, hugging him back. She was surprised when he pressed a soft-as-air kiss to her temple. "I love you, Cal," he whispered.

She nodded against his shoulder. "I love you too."

The hug was over all too soon, and they sat there, silently facing each other.

"Brandon?" Callie asked.

"Hmm?"

"Are you scared about leaving home in the Fall?"

"Mmn, not really scared," he told her. "But nervous. How about you? Are you scared?"

"A little," she confessed. "Okay. A lot."

He nodded knowingly. "I get it. But, hey... that reminds me. I forgot to tell you something!"

"What?" she asked.

"I won't really need my car when I get to New York, so my dad and I talked, and I decided that I want you to have it."

"You do?" she gasped. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," he replied. "You need wheels. And this way, you know, you'll be able to come home."

"Brandon," she sighed. "Thank you!"

"Anytime," he smiled.

"I could save up the money and pay you for it," she suggested.

"Nah," he replied. "I don't want anything. Think of it as a graduation gift." He rose to his feet, glancing down at his watch. "Look. I have to get to work, but I'll see you later."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Once Callie was left alone, she turned to her nightstand. The scent of the carnations drifted toward her, and she reached out, and carefully touched the soft petals.

* * *

"Hey, honey," said Lena, as Stef came through the door after work. She had just gotten through serving Jesus and Jude an afternoon snack. It seemed that, with five teenagers in the house, providing snacks would become her Summer job. "How did it go?"

Stef sat down at the table, and poured herself a glassful of lemonade. "We arrested him, and it felt great."

"How did his parents take it?" Lena asked.

"I didn't see his dad," she told her wife. "But his mother was pretty upset. Though, I think we have more of a right to be mad than anyone. If one of our boys treated a girl like that, I'd disown him."

"They'll get him out," Lena mussed. "Unfortunately."

"I just feel so bad for Callie," said Stef. "Poor baby. That kid has been through hell and back. How dare he hurt her after all she's been through?"

"And it wasn't just physical," Lena pointed out. "The lies, the control he had over her... It makes me sick."

Stef nodded sadly. "When we found out about Liam, we promised Callie that no one would ever hurt her again. I feel terrible that we couldn't keep that promise." She looked up at her wife's soft, dark, knowing eyes, and burst into tears.

"Aww, honey," Lena cooed. "Come here." She took Stef into her arms and rocked her. "Callie's okay, love. She's going to be fine. She's... resilient."

"I know," Stef sobbed. "I do. She's our brave girl. But it's like, you know, when they're little and get hurt, you can take them and kiss their boo-boos away. It kills me that I can't do that for Callie. I just want to kiss her pain away and make it better." She took a napkin from the table and dabbed at her wet eyes.

"I know what you mean, honey," said Lena, still holding Stef tight. "But Callie's got all of us to help her get through this. That will make all the difference."

"I hope so." Stef wiped her eyes with the napkin one last time, then stood up. "I'm gonna go check on her, and see if she needs anything."

* * *

"Hi, love bug," said Stef, crossing the room to Callie's bed. She smiled when she saw the flowers. "Those are beautiful."

"They're from Brandon," Callie told her.

"That was sweet of him."

"Mama?" Callie asked quietly.

"What, angel?"

"I'm really sorry for sneaking out the other night, and scaring you."

"You already apologized, Cal," said Stef, with a small smile. "Stop apologizing so much."

"Sorry," said Callie. Then, she slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oops."

"Oh, you," Stef laughed. "Would it make you feel better if I told you that I accept your apology?"

"That helps," she nodded.

"What's all this?" Stef asked, just noticing the stuff scattered across Callie's bed.

"Just... things," she replied. "It's kind of a memory box, I guess."

Nodding, Stef picked up a stack of paper napkins held together by a rubber band. "I used to keep a memory box."

"Used to?" her daughter asked. "Why did you stop?"

"Oh, I guess I had too many memories to fit in it," she told her. "Hey- these are all the notes mom puts in your lunch. That's sweet that you saved them, Cal."

"I just like having them," she told her, idly flipping through a small photo album. "Did I ever show you these pictures?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Stef replied. "But I'd love to see them."

Callie handed her the album, leaning over to look at it with her. There were only a few pictures in it, but they appeared to be from before Colleen died.

"That was the day Jude was born," Callie explained, pointing at the first snapshot.

"How cute," Stef smiled. "Gosh, your mother was gorgeous. I can see where you get your looks."

"I'll never be as pretty as she was," Callie shrugged, regretfully.

Stef laughed at her remark. "Have you ever looked in the mirror, honey?"

She turned the page. The next photo was of Callie, when she was around nine or ten years old. Dark waves cascaded down her thin shoulders, and her large brown eyes shone, older than her years. Stef just wanted to reach into the picture and give that little girl a hug, and maybe some cookies and milk.

"Callie, what a beautiful little girl you were," she said, looking up at her daughter. "Look at all that long hair!"

"My first foster mom made me cut it short," Callie told her. "She said it was too much trouble." She studied the photo intently. "I looked sad there."

Stef nodded with understanding. "If you could talk to that little girl right now, what would you tell her?"

Callie paused thoughtfully, setting the album on the bed, but never taking her eyes off the picture. "I think I would tell her... not to give up on love. Because someday, she'll have more love in her life than she'll know what to do with."

Quiet for a moment, Stef nodded. "That's true, sweetheart," She reached out and patted Callie's knee. "We love you very much."

"Mama?" said Callie slowly. "I think I know what I want to do with my life, now. I want to help foster kids, like me and Jude, and the twins. I want to be a social worker."

"Callie," said Stef, as tears filled her eyes. "That's a beautiful ambition. And does this mean you've changed your mind about college?"

"I guess," she nodded, unsure. "Do you think I can do it?"

Stef looked her daughter in the eye, reaching for her hand. "Angel, I think you can do anything you put your mind to. And when you feel like giving up, think about this little girl." She tapped Callie's childhood photo with her fingertip. "You have the opportunity to be the person she needed, for another child. Do it for her, okay?"

"Okay," said Callie, in a soft whisper.

"Now, my love," she said, standing up. "I'm going to go start dinner, and you are going to rest." She leaned down and kissed her daughter's cheek, then left.

** To Be Continued**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19.

Lena stood at the kitchen counter, slicing tomatoes from the garden. Mariana was volunteering at a dance camp for the Summer, Jesus was off with friends, and Brandon and Stef were ate work. This made for a quiet day, with Callie upstairs resting and Jude playing video games.

She layered the tomato on sandwiches for the kids' lunches, when the doorbell rang. "Coming!" she called.

She opened the door, and to her horror, she saw Vico standing on the porch. She knew his family would bail him out, but she didn't expect him to be released so soon. "You're not supposed to be here," she told him. "It would be wise to leave now."

His eyes narrowed with anger for a fleeting moment. "I want to see Callie."

"Callie has nothing to say to you," Lena replied.

"I want to see her," he said again.

Lena crossed her arms over her chest, frustrated and scared. "Well, you can't. She's sleeping."

"You can't keep me away from her," he snapped.

"Oh yes, I can," she told him. "My wife is taking out a restraining order against you. It should be in effect today." The weekend had delayed the process, but Stef had managed to pull some strings. "I suggest you leave now, or there will be serious consequences."

She started to close the door, prepped to lock it, when Vico shoved his foot between the door and the door frame. "Do you think a piece of paper can keep me away?" he screamed in her face. "Callie is mine!"

Lena turned, desperate for help. Vico was bigger and stronger than her. If he wanted to push his way in, he could. She was prepared to yell for Jude to call 911, when she heard a racket in the kitchen. Before she could take her next breath, Jude was there, wielding the sharp kitchen knife she'd used to slice the tomatoes.

"Leave my sister alone!" he shouted. He held the knife, poised to stab the older boy if necessary.

Lena had never seen such a look in Jude's eyes. The usually docile boy's face was angry and fierce. "Leave," he said firmly. "Now!"

Vico regarded him, then backed away. He turned, and ran to his car. "This isn't over!"

Once they were safe, Lena closed the door and locked it tight.

"Should we call the cops?" Jude asked, his hands shaking.

"No," said Lena. "I don't think he'll be back today." She took a deep breath, her heart racing. "You were amazing, Jude. You were so brave."

Jude looked down and realized he was still gripping the knife in his sweaty hand. "I would have done it, too. For you and Callie."

"I've never seen you like that," she said quietly. "It was like you were someone else."

"Well," he shrugged. "I'm the man of the house right now. Besides, Callie's always protected me. All the beatings and punishments; she took it all, so I wouldn't have to. I owe her."

Lena reached out to give her son a hug. "I'm so proud of you, Jude." She brushed back his hair, and kissed his forehead. "Now, go and put that knife back in the kitchen."

"Got it," he nodded.

* * *

"Hi, sweetheart," said Stef. She'd just gotten home from work, and had gone straight upstairs to check on Callie. "How's my girl?"

"My chest hurts," she told her, weakly. "It feels like I'm having a heart attack."

Stef looked at her sympathetically. "It will, until your ribs heal, honey."

"I'm so bored," she whined.

"Do you want me to lay down with you for a little while, and keep you company?" Stef asked.

Callie nodded. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Stef kicked off her shoes, and laid down beside her daughter, snuggling her. "I'm tired," she said, yawning.

"I heard some yelling downstairs a little bit ago," Callie told her. "Was Jude watching a movie?"

Stef sighed, caressing Callie's arm. "I don't want to scare you, baby, but Vico came to the door today."

"He did?" she gasped, her eyes wild and frightened. "Are mom and Jude okay?"

"They are," Stef nodded. "He tried to come in, but Jude scared him away with a knife."

Callie looked at her skeptically. "Are you kidding me?"

"Nope," Stef laughed. "Your brother was very brave."

"Wow," said Callie, quietly. "You think you know a person." She rested her head against her mother's shoulder, hugging her. "What if Vico comes back here?"

"Well," Stef told her. "You'll be happy to know that the restraining order is now in effect. If he tries to come near you, he'll be arrested immediately."

"I'll see him at graduation, though?" she asked. "Won't I?"

"He won't be graduating, baby," Stef explained. "He's in serious trouble for making and selling the fake I.D.s.

"Oh," she replied. "That's good."

Stef tilted her chin down, and gave Callie a kiss. "Let's not worry, love bug. We're all safe and sound."

"It's hard not to worry," she fretted.

"I know," Stef nodded. She smoothed back Callie's hair, then held out her arms. "Come here, love. I missed you today. Let's snuggle."

Callie curled up closer, and Stef wrapped her arms around her. Slowly, her daughter relaxed, and she did too. And soon, they both fell asleep.

* * *

Wednesday night, Jesus went to the wrestling banquet. He came home early, to the family gathered in the living room, watching a movie.

"What's wrong, sweets?" Stef asked her son. His face was drawn, stony and serious. "You look upset."

"More like shocked," he told them.

"Did something happen?" Jude asked.

Jesus sat down on the arm of the sofa. "Vico was in a car accident last night, coming home from a party." He sighed, shaking his head. "He was high."

"Was he injured?" Lena asked.

"He's in a coma," Jesus explained. "He hit a telephone pole on the passenger's side. His car is totaled."

"Oh, my gosh," Stef breathed. As horrific as the news was, though, the word 'karma' came to mind.

Suddenly, Callie stood up and hurried upstairs, without saying a word to anyone.

Stef looked to her wife, her face creased with concern. "I better go make sure she's alright."

She ran upstairs to her daughter's room, and found her sitting on her bed, holding her teddy bear. She went to Callie's bedside, and sat down next to her. "How are you doing, baby? You okay?"

"Yes," she replied quietly. She sighed with frustration. "Okay, no I'm not."

Stef placed her hand on her back, rubbing it. "I figured as much. Want to tell me why you're so upset?"

"My mother," Callie began. "The accident... her head got crushed in the accident. That's what killed her."

"Honey, I'm sorry," Stef whispered. It was frightening to think of the beautiful, vibrant woman in Callie's old photos, dying such a traumatic death.

"The cop said it happened so fast, she didn't feel any pain. But I don't believe that." Callie's eyes were wide and haunted, so dark they were almost black. "She couldn't even have an open casket. Her face was too messed up."

She turned to Stef, her face pale. "The same thing could've happened to me," she said with a shudder. "I could have been in the car with Vico."

Stef's heart ached with the terrifying realization that what Callie said was true. If things hadn't ended between her and Vico when they did; if she'd gone with him to that party, she might be dead right now.

"But it didn't, baby," she told her, pulling her daughter into a hug. "It didn't." She rocked Callie back and forth, trying to sooth her. "You're safe with us, and we're so blessed because of it." She held her tight, and kissed her cheek. "I love you, my angel."

Callie clung to her, her eyes watery with un-shed tears. "I love you too, mommy."

Stef held her a little tighter. "My sweet baby girl." She separated from her daughter, caressing her cheek. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you cleaned up, and we'll go back downstairs."

Callie nodded vaguely. "Okay."

Stef rested her hand on Callie's shoulder, and led her to the bathroom. Once inside, she wet a washcloth with cool water, and used it to wash the young girl's blotchy face. "Doesn't that feel better?" she asked.

"Yeah," Callie whispered.

Stef smiled, taking her by the hand. "Let's go see if we can catch the ending of the movie."

Callie followed her downstairs, and Stef made room for her on the sofa, right between her and Lena.

**To Be Continued**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20.

"Well, hello, darling!"

"Hi, Gram!" Callie smiled. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Do you think I would miss seeing my grandchildren graduate?" Mrs. Adams asked. "Now, come here and give me a hug."

Callie let herself be swept up in Lena's mother's arms, returning the hug. She only vaguely remembered her biological grandfather, and Jude never knew their grandparents at all. This unfamiliar relationship was still something new and wonderful to them.

"Your mama told us what happened, sweetheart," said Mrs. Adams. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," Callie nodded. "Still a little sore." Her splint would have to stay on for another week, and her busted lip was almost healed.

"Well, thank goodness you're okay," her grandmother told her. She looked past her granddaughter's shoulder, and saw Brandon. "Let me go say hello to your brother."

"Hey, Gram!" Brandon said, greeting his grandmother.

Lena's father came through the door just then, carrying two suitcases. "Hi, Grandpa," said Callie.

"Hello, Callie," he nodded in his polite, aloof way, struggling with the weight of the luggage.

"Do you need help carrying those?" she asked, pointing to the suitcases with concern.

Mrs. Adams turned around, appalled. "Don't you dare lift anything! You're still healing, love. Besides, what do we have three strapping young grandsons for?" She turned toward the kitchen, calling for Jesus.

Stef, Lena, Jude and Mariana came in from the backyard; they'd been decorating for Callie and Brandon's double-graduation party, when they heard voices in the house. Suddenly, the house was swept up in a chaos of greetings.

No one noticed right away when the doorbell rang again. Callie hurried to the door and answered it. "Hi Grandma," she smiled, when she saw Sharon.

"Hi, doll," Sharon replied, pulling her in to an uncomfortable, overzealous hug.

"The ribs. The ribs," Callie reminded her, clenching her teeth, and trying not to cry.

"Sorry, baby doll," her grandmother apologized. She ran her thumb over Callie's lip. "You poor thing. That boy is lucky he never met me."

Callie looked at her petite grandmother skeptically, trying to imagine her beating up Vico, who was huge. She snorted at the image in her head.

"What? You don't think I could take him?" Sharon asked, grinning. "I would have smacked him right in the chops." She held up her fists playfully.

"I love you, Grandma," Callie laughed.

"I love you too, doll," she told her, giving her a kiss on her cheek. "Gosh, I wish Frank could be here to see you kids graduate. He'd be so proud."

"I wish I'd gotten to know him better," Callie told her.

"Me too," she sighed. "So, are you excited about college? I hear you're heading out to Arizona."

"That's the plan," Callie nodded half-heartedly.

"Just look at you," said Sharon, pinching Callie's cheek. "Off to bigger and better things." she paused, looking around the room. "Now, where's my Jude-bug?"

Callie turned away as her grandmother went to greet Jude, that familiar, empty feeling; the feeling that everything was about to be snatched right out from under her, creeping into her heart. Sharon's words had disturbed her. What could be better than where she was right now, at home with the people she loved?

* * *

"Just think," said Brandon. "This is our last time going to Anchor Beach as students."

Callie looked up at the school building that rose above them. "It's kind of sad to think about."

"Come on, guys," said Stef. "You don't want to be late!"

Callie and Brandon followed their moms into the school. Once they were inside, Stef and Lena helped them put their caps and gowns on over their clothes. "This is it, guys," said Stef. "Are you nervous?"

"No," said Brandon.

"Yes," said Callie.

Stef looked at them sympathetically. "You'll be fine. Both of you. You look adorable, you've worked hard for this day. You've got this." She kissed them both. "I love you, my babies."

"Love you too," they said in unison.

Lena scooped them into hugs next. "We're so incredibly proud of both of you." She smiled, with tears in her eyes. "I love you guys."

"We love you too," said Brandon.

Callie nodded in agreement. "We do."

"Okay," she said, shooing them away. "Go get ready."

* * *

The graduation song always got to Stef; it meant change was in the air. It meant growing up and moving on. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the music filled the auditorium.

When the principal got to the C's as he called the names of the students, and bypassed Vico's name, Stef couldn't help but think of him laying in the hospital. He'd hurt her baby, and certainly deserved to be punished, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of sadness at his absence.

When they got to the F's, she turned to Mariana. "You filming, love?"

Mariana gave her a nod, holding the camera steady.

"Brandon Michael Adams Foster."

"There's our boy," Mike whispered, patting Stef on the shoulder.

Brandon stepped onto the stage, looking handsome in his cap and gown. Stef sobbed at the sight, and reached over to squeeze Lena's hand as he accepted his diploma. All she could see was her little boy, dressed in his paper cap and gown, graduating from kindergarten. He'd tripped on his gown, ripped it, and cried. But she'd taped it back together with duct tape, and told him to hold his chin up high. He did. This time around, though, he didn't trip. He was a man.

"Callie Quinn Adams Foster."

Callie came forward slowly, a little unsure. She looked out toward the audience, trying to spot a familiar face, and Stef gave her a small wave, even though she probably couldn't see them with with the stage lights in her face.

Stef watched her daughter, proud and sad at once. The "high-risk" girl they took a chance on, who had become their daughter in every way, made it. She wasn't a statistic. She wasn't a file, or a number. She'd made it. Stef's eyes filled with fresh tears at the thought.

She watched Callie accept her diploma through misty eyes, quickly glancing at Lena, who also had tears streaming down her face. Their daughter very easily may not have been up there, shaking the principal's hand and accepting her diploma that day. A few different decisions, and she would have been in the hospital with Vico, or, more than likely, dead. Stef had seen Vico's crashed car at the police station. The passenger's side was crushed like an accordion, where it had wrapped around the pole.

Knowing this, Stef's hands shook as she watched her daughter. Her sweet, loving, kind, amazing little girl. She couldn't wait to give her a hug and a kiss, and tell her how very precious she was to them. If any good ever came out of near-tragedies like this, it was the sometimes much-needed reminder of how blessed one was.

After the last senior accepted her diploma, the class rose to their feet. They flipped the tassels on their caps, then threw them up into the air. Stef and Lena, along with everyone else in the audience, stood up and clapped.

* * *

"The napkins are fine, mom," said Lena. "This is a casual party."

Stef couldn't help but laugh. Some things never changed. Dana and Sharon had been arguing about the napkins for the last ten minutes, until Lena finally decided to step in. Their mothers were so different, it was almost laughable that their daughters were so perfect for each other.

She patted her pocket, where Callie's graduation present was tucked away, and scanned the yard for her daughter. Callie looked sweet in her new white eyelet sundress, with her hair pulled back. She should have been easy to spot, but she was nowhere in sight.

Stef finally found Mariana, dipping a glass of punch, and hurried to her. "Hey, baby. Have you seen your sister?"

"Not for a while," Mariana replied, dropping a paper straw into her glass. "Last time I saw her, she was going that way."

"Okay," Stef nodded. "I'll go check. Thanks, honey."

She followed the path to the garden, and sure enough, Callie was there, sitting on the bench, her head bent down.

"There you are, angel," Stef said, heading to where she sat. "Why aren't you at the party?"

Callie looked up at her with watery tears in her eyes and damp cheeks.

"What's the matter, baby?" she asked. "Are you sick?" She sat down beside her and put her arm around her.

"I'm not sick," Callie told her. "I just needed to be alone."

"Do you want to tell me what's up?" Stef asked."It might make you feel better."

Callie played with her skirt, smoothing it over her knees, avoiding her mother's questioning gaze. "I just want things to slow down," she finally admitted. "Everything's changing."

Stef hugged Callie at her side, and nodded. "I remember feeling the same way when I was your age."

Swiping away her tears with the back of her hand, Callie turned to Stef. "That's why I didn't want to go to college. But it didn't really hit me until today. It used to be that I couldn't wait to be on my own. But now that I finally have a family, I don't want to be alone again."

Her face crumpled, and she broke down in gasping sobs. "I don't _want_ to leave you and mom. I've only had you for two years. I haven't had enough time. It's not fair!"

"Cal," Stef sighed, holding her daughter closer."Why didn't you tell us you were feeling this way?"

"I felt stupid," she hiccuped. "Brandon is so excited to leave. I just feel like a pathetic little kid who needs her mommy."

"Oh, honey," said Stef, taking her daughter's wet face between her hands. "Brandon is Brandon, and you are _you_. You're different people. And there's nothing wrong with needing your mommy sometimes. In fact, I hope you never stop needing us, because that would break my heart."

She pulled Callie back into her arms, resting her chin on her shoulder, rocking the sobbing girl back and forth. "You did kind of get cheated, didn't you? You've never had much of a childhood, and you're right; it's _not _fair that you've had to miss out on something your siblings got. You want that time back."

Callie nodded against her shoulder.

"But leaving home doesn't mean you'll lose us," Stef continued. "No matter how old you get; even when you're my age, you will always be our little girl. And wherever you go in the world, this will _always_ be your home. Nothing can change that, baby. You will always have two mamas who are crazy about you, right here."

Callie looked at her tearfully. "Oh, mommy."

"Sweetheart," Stef whispered. She held her close, rubbing her back, until her tears subsided.

"I have a little gift for you," she told her, taking the box from her pocket. "A graduation present."

She watched Callie untie the silver ribbon that was wrapped around the box, then tear off the paper. Her brown eyes went wide when she saw what was inside. With her fingertip, she delicately touched the earrings inside. "They're beautiful," she sighed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby girl," Stef told her. "I knew you were a little down about losing your first diamond." She'd chosen earrings for Callie purposely, so she wouldn't have to take off Colleen's necklace to wear them.

"These are real diamonds?" Callie asked.

Stef nodded. "But these have no strings attached. They're just because you're my girl, and I love you."

"Mama, this is too much," she fretted.

"No it isn't," Stef argued. "Your graduation is a milestone, and I want you to remember it."

"I love them," Callie smiled, carefully putting them in her ears. "I'll take really good care of them."

"I know you will, baby." She gathered Callie in a hug, burying her nose in her hair, kissing her softly. "You're special to me, honey. You're not just my child. You're my friend. And I love you more than words can describe."

Callie nodded. "I love you too, mama." She wrapped her arms around Stef's neck, hugging her. They held each other for several long moments, neither wanting to be the first to let go.

When they finally did part, Stef took a tissue from her pocket. "Here, sweets," she said, dabbing at her daughter's tear-stained face. "Let's get you cleaned up. I know it's your party and you can cry if you want to, but no one needs to know."

Callie laughed a little, straightening her skirt.

"There," said Stef. "You look beautiful. Are you ready to go back out there?"

"I think so."

** To Be Continued**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21.

"We made out pretty good," said Brandon, fanning the money he'd received at the party in his hand.

Callie looked down at her own stack of cash. She'd never owned that much money in her life. She didn't even know what she'd do with it. Maybe she'd open a bank account? It might be nice to have something of her own, to save for the future. Besides that, she didn't really have a need to own much. She couldn't see herself going on a shopping spree.

"And you'll both write Thank You notes to everyone, yes?" Lena asked, glancing at the kids.

Brandon groaned at the prospect of writing out notes to each and every relative and friend who came to the party, but Callie nodded. "Of course."

She stood up, tucking her money in her pocket. "Where's mama?"

Lena looked up again from the magazine she was reading on the sofa. "She's upstairs, honey. Probably recovering from our house guests."

"Thanks," said Callie, heading to the stairs.

* * *

She found Stef sitting back on her bed, typing on her laptop.

"Mama?" she asked quietly, getting her mother's attention.

"Hi, baby," said Stef, turning to her. "What's up?"

"Can I come in?" Callie asked.

"Of course, sweets. I wanted to show you something anyway."

Callie climbed onto Lena's side of the bed, and picked up the remote that controlled the mattress. She played with it, pressing buttons until her legs were propped up. Then, she lowered her legs, and raised her head until she was almost sitting up.

"Having fun?" Stef laughed, glancing at her.

Callie smiled, then returned the mattress to normal position. She looked over at Stef's laptop, furrowing her brow. "What are you doing?"

"Just some research," Stef told her, turning the laptop so she could see. "I've been thinking a lot about what you told me at the party, Cal. About how you feel like you haven't had enough time with us. Did you mean that, or were you just talking in the heat of the moment?"

"I guess I did mean it," Callie admitted. "I mean, I feel like I'm just going to have another home pulled out from under me again. That scares me. I love it here. I don't want my life to change again."

"This would still be your home, honey," Stef reminded her. "We're not going to evaporate into thin air if you move out. We'll be right here."

"But that's how it feels," said Callie.

"I know it does," she nodded. "But you know... life is always changing. Always. If things always stayed the same, we would never grow. And change isn't always bad. Sometimes, change brings about things you never knew you were missing. Better things."

Callie looked at her quizzically.

"You know," Stef continued. "When I found out Lena had taken in another foster child- you- I wasn't at all sure I wanted a new member of the family. I felt sure that our family was complete."

Callie's eyes shadowed with sadness, and she reached over and squeezed her hand. "But then, I met you, and Jude, and I fell in love. The two of you filled a place in my heart I never knew was empty."

Scooting closer to Stef, Callie rested her head on her mother's shoulder, letting her golden hair tickle her nose.

"If I didn't allow change to come into our life," Stef told her, "we might not have you and Jude to love. We would have missed out on two amazing, beautiful babies who needed us." She tilted her chin down, and kissed Callie's forehead. "We needed you too. And I'm thankful each and every day that the two of you were brought into our lives."

"But what if I leave what I have behind, and nothing good happens to me?" Callie asked. "I mean, I've never had very good luck. Ending up here was just a fluke."

"I don't know if I'd call it a fluke," Stef laughed. "I think 'fate' is the right word. But say something wonderful does happen for you? You'll get a good education, follow your dream. Maybe you'll meet your soul-mate, get married, give us a few grand-babies? You never know, unless you take that chance."

"But what if all that isn't in Arizona?" said Callie. "Maybe it's here?"

Stef nodded, putting her arm around her daughter. With her fingertip, she tapped the screen of her laptop, showing Callie the college website she had been browsing. "If you really don't want to go to Arizona, I'm willing to listen. Nothing is set in stone yet. It's not too late to change your plans."

"What do you mean?" asked Callie. "You said I have to go to college."

Stef nodded. "You do. But, tell me, slug-a-bug... how would you feel about starting out at a community college for the next two years? If you went to this school here, you would be able to live at home. You could get your grades up, then reapply to a school closer to home later on, if you want."

Callie was speechless for a moment. "Really?"

"Really," Stef replied with a smile. "I just want you to do what's best for you, sweetheart."

"What if I don't know what's best for me?" she fretted. "I haven't exactly been the poster child for good decision making lately."

Stef laughed, nuzzling her hair. "Part of me wants to encourage you to stay here," she told her. "Because I would miss you a lot."

"I would miss you too," Callie admitted.

"But Arizona isn't in Siberia," she pointed out. "And Brandon gave you the car so you can come home every weekend." She paused, studying her daughter. "Then again, the car can also bring you _to_ school, if you decide to live at home and commute."

"What do you think I should do?" Callie asked. "Stay or go?"

"It's your choice, love," Stef told her. "But we'll definitely help you decide. And we'll support you in whichever choice you make."

Callie was quiet for a long moment, a million thoughts running through her head. Her hand twitched, and impulsively, she reached up and rubbed the tip of her nose; a habit that was all she really had left of her lost childhood.

She looked up at Stef, and smiled. "I'm kind of glad you're giving me a choice. I've never really had much control over my life before. So, thank you."

"Why don't you take some time alone to think it over?" Stef suggested. "It's a big decision."

"Okay," Callie nodded. "I will."

She climbed down from the bed, and crossed the room. Then, she stopped in her tracks and turned around, hurrying back to her mother. She threw her arms around her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Stef cuddled her daughter, holding her in her arms. "I love you, baby girl."

Callie nodded against her shoulder. "I love you too."

** To Be Continued- What do you think? Will Callie stay or go?"**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22.

"Brandon?" Callie asked, letting herself into his room. "You busy?"

Brandon looked up from his keyboard and smiled. "No. Come on in."

She crossed the room, and sat down beside him on the bench. "What's up?" he asked.

"I just wanted to talk to someone," she began.

"Well, I'm listening, Cal," he told her, shutting off his keyboard.

"It's like this," she went on. "I've been feeling kind of... torn. About leaving home. I talked about it with mama- _mom_, I mean." Though it was confusing, Callie had always called Stef 'mama' instead of 'mom,' like the other kids did. When Stef found her after she ran away, she'd pleaded; _'Let mama take you home,' _and it just stuck. Ever since, Stef was 'mama' to Callie, and only Callie. It was their thing.

"She's giving me a choice," she told Brandon. "I can go out to Arizona, or I can stay here and go to community college for a couple years."

"And you can't decided what to do," he concluded.

"Right," she nodded.

Brandon draped his arms around her shoulders protectively, like he always did. "I guess it's not really a matter of which school is better, is it?"

"No," she replied. "I think that school was like, my third choice?" Callie wasn't the best student. It wasn't that she didn't try; she did. She and Jude moved around so much when they were younger, that they were never in one school very long. And most of their past foster families couldn't care less if they did their homework or not, anyway. She and her brother both struggled in school to some degree, but with Lena's help, they got by.

"Don't you want to feel like an adult?" Brandon asked. "You know, be free and independent?"

Callie sighed, shrugging. "It's not the same for me as it is for you. You've had... _this_... your whole life. I feel like my real childhood only began two years ago. I have a lot of mixed feelings about giving it up so soon."

Brandon nodded. "I guess you're right. You would really miss moms, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," she admitted. "And what happened with Vico kind of makes me wonder if, maybe I'm not ready to make all my own decisions yet?"

"That wasn't your fault," he told her, rubbing her arm reassuringly. "Vico's a bastard."

"Maybe so," she replied. "But... I should have walked away before it started."

"You can't blame yourself for what he did," Brandon sighed. He paused thoughtfully. "You know, it would be kind of cool for both of us to go through starting college and leaving home together. We could support each other. But I see where you're coming from, about having mixed feelings."

"What would you do if you were me?" she asked from his shoulder.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I'd probably go. But I don't want to decide for you. I want whatever you want."

They were quiet for a few moments, when Brandon spoke again. "Do you ever think about what it would be like if we'd stayed together?"

"Sometimes," she admitted. "Why do you ask?"

"Talking about the future always makes me think about you," he confided. "And, you know, what our future would have been."

"Brandon," Callie sighed. "Don't do this to yourself. Or me."

"I want to talk about it," he told her. "When mom brought you home, and she found out about us, she told me that the best thing I could do for you is to let you go, so you could have a family. She said that if I really loved you, I wouldn't take that away. It was hard to give you up, but when I see how much you and our moms love each other, it's worth it. You're mom's favorite, you know."

Callie looked at him with surprise. "No I'm not. You're her biological son. If anyone's her favorite, it's you. But she loves us all the same."

"Hey," she said, holding his hands up in defeat. "It doesn't bother me to admit it. I'm glad she loves you so much. It's... sweet."

"Sweet?" she laughed.

He smiled, nodding. "Just don't tell her I told you that, okay?"

"Okay."

"But the point is," Brandon continued. "even though we're not, you know, together, I still care about you. You'll always have a special place in my heart. I just want you to be happy, and I think you should do what feels right to you."

Callie smiled, resting her head against him. "Thanks, Brandon." She reached out to give him a hug. "You have a special place in my heart too."

"Let me know what you decide?"

She nodding, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Of course."

* * *

"Hey, snuggle bug," said Stef, as her daughter came into the kitchen. "Do you want a snack or something?"

"No thanks. I'm good," she said, shaking her head. "I just want you to know that I've decided what I want to do about college."

Stef nodded. "Would you like to talk on the porch?"

"Please," she replied.

"Okay," said Stef. "How about I get us some iced tea?'

"Sounds good. Anything I can get?"

"You can grab some glasses," Stef suggested, taking a pitcher from the fridge.

She did, and soon, they were gently swaying on the porch swing. Callie poked at the lemon slice in her tea over and over, watching it bob back to the surface, not sure where to begin the conversation.

"So, what have you decided, baby?" Stef asked, setting her glass down on the little table next to the swing. She wrapped her arm around Callie, twisting one of her chestnut curls around her finger.

"Well," she began, setting her glass down next to her mother's. "If it's still okay with you, I'd like to stay here a little while longer."

Stef tried to suppress a smile as she looked down at her daughter. She felt as if she could finally uncross her fingers.

"I've been feeling like I was supposed to leave home, because that's just what kids my age do," Callie confided. "But I just can't leave. This is where my heart is. Not Arizona. I don't think I would be happy anywhere else."

"Callie, it's more than okay with me if you live at home," Stef told her, giving her a loving squeeze. "Between you and me, I was kind of hoping you would stay."

"You were?" she asked. "Huh. When we talked, I kind of felt like you were pointing me in the other direction."

"Because I didn't want you to base your decision on my feelings," she told her. "I wanted you to decide for yourself."

She kissed Callie's hair, her lips lingering against the softness of her curls. "I love you, sweetheart. You're my little girl. And I've been having a rough time, dealing with the idea of both you and Brandon leaving at once, but I would never hold you back just because I'm feeling sad."

"You're not holding me back," Callie promised. "I want to stay. If I left, I would really miss you. I still need you every day. Not just on weekends."

"I would miss you too, love bug," Stef confided, pulling her into a hug.

"Mama?" Callie asked, once they parted. "What do we do now?"

Stef smiled, caressing her cheek. "We go inside, and we fill out an application."

** To Be Continued**


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's note: Yay! Posting Callie's birthday chapter on her actual birthday!**

* * *

Chapter 23.

Callie came down to the kitchen early on the morning of her July birthday.

"Well," said Stef, turning away from the stove. "Happy birthday, my beautiful eighteen-year-old." She held her arms out, and Callie walked into them.

"I was going to bring you breakfast in bed," she told her. "But you beat me to it."

"That's okay," said Callie. "I'd rather eat with the family." She sniffed the air in the kitchen. It smelled like vanilla, and it made her mouth water. She sat down at the table. "What are you making? It smells great."

"I made," said Stef, setting a plate in front of her, "special deluxe birthday pancakes."

Callie looked down at the plate. Three pancakes were stacked, drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with strawberries and whipped cream. She nodded appreciatively. "Sweet."

Just then, Lena joined them in the kitchen. "There's the birthday girl," she said, giving Callie a hug and kiss, then looked down at the table with a laugh. "I see mommy made you her special birthday pancakes."

"Special _deluxe _birthday pancakes," Stef corrected, flipping another pancake on the griddle.

"I guess I should have gotten you a gift certificate to the dentist for your birthday," Lena teased. She sat down next to Callie, serving herself from the food on the table. "Do you feel all grown up yet?" she asked her daughter.

Callie chewed and swallowed a mouthful of food. "Not _all _grown up. But pretty close."

Lena placed her hand on her back, patting it lovingly. "You know, it's good to see you happy again, sweetheart. You seem happier than you have in weeks."

"I am happy," Callie nodded. "I feel like... I don't know... my life is finally mine again."

"I'm glad," said Lena. "I've missed your smiles."

* * *

On their birthdays, each kid in the family got to pick their favorite dinner. Callie requested homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Afterward, it was time for cake and ice cream. Lena had made a lemon cake, which was Callie's favorite kind. It was covered in fluffy frosting and yellow sugar. She set it on the table after the dinner dishes were cleared away, and Stef carefully lit the eighteen candles that stuck out of it.

"Make a wish, sweetheart."

Callie used to wish for the same thing on every birthday; to have her mother back, even when she was old enough to know that it wouldn't come true. But she stopped making that wish the year before, once she was sure she was really with the Fosters to stay. She had a nice home, and parents and siblings who loved her. In a way, her wish had come true.

She had to come up with a new wish. Finally, she decided on one. She squeezed her eyes shut. _I wish our family_ _will always be as close as it_ _is now_. She leaned over, and blew out all of her candles.

"What did you wish for?" Jude asked.

"Can't tell you," she smiled playfully. "Or it won't come true.

* * *

When it was time for presents, the family gathered in the living room. Callie sat down on the sofa, and Stef and Lena handed her a box. It was wrapped in purple paper covered in bright, sparkly balloons.

"This is from the whole family," Stef told her. "We hope you enjoy it, love."

She opened the card first:

_To our Callie,_

_ Happy birthday! We hope this will bring you as much joy as you bring us each and every day! You're an amazing young woman, and it's been a pleasure to watch you grow into the person you are today._

_ Love you!_  
_Mama, Mom, Jude, Brandon, Jesus, and Mariana._

"Thanks, guys," said Callie, tucking the card back in the envelope and setting it beside her. Then, she slowly began to open her gift, being careful not to rip the paper. It was too pretty to ruin.

"Open it already!" Jesus teased.

She sighed dramatically, stripping the last of the paper away. Then, she opened the box, tossing the lid aside. Inside, she found a new digital camera, and a leather camera bag. She sucked in her breath, touching the camera delicately with her fingertips.

"Thank you," she said, looking up with tears in her eyes. "All of you."

"We love you, slug-a-bug," Stef smiled.

"Your photos are too beautiful to be taken with a cell phone," Lena added. "You have a lot of talent."

"And it will help you in school," Stef pointed out. Callie was going to be taking a photography class as an elective in college, which they all knew she was very excited about.

"It will," she nodded. "Oh my gosh. I love it!" She stood up, giving each and every member of the family a hug.

"Mariana and I have a present for you too," Jude told her. He gave her a gift bag tied shut with streamers.

Callie opened the bag and dug through the layers of tissue paper. Inside was wooden frame decorated with seashells and starfish.

"We made it," Jude explained. "It's okay if you don't like it."

"Don't like it?" Callie cried. "I love it! Thank you!" She reached out to give her brother and sister each a hug.

"We got the idea a while back," Mariana confided. "When you were going to move to Arizona. We got the shells from the beach. We thought you could put a picture of the family in it, so it would remind you of home."

Callie nodded thoughtfully. "I'll keep it forever, whether I'm here or not. And I know just which picture I'm going to put in it."

"Which one?" Jude asked.

"The family picture from moms' wedding," she told them. "It's my favorite."

"We have an extra copy in the album," Stef told her. "Let me get it**."**

She returned minutes later, with the photo in hand. "Here it is, sweetheart."

Callie took the picture from her and carefully set it in the frame, closing the back. She held it in front of her, admiring the effect. "Perfect."

**To Be Continued**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24.

Two days after Callie's birthday, she told Stef that she wanted to visit Vico in the hospital. Stef was stunned, but reluctantly agreed, only because she wanted her daughter to have some closure.

The morning they planned to go, she entered Callie's room to find her sitting on her bed, gripping her hairbrush, staring into space. She was dressed, but her hair was a tangled mess.

"Honey?" she asked. "You about ready?"

Callie turned to her, snapping out of her trance. "Oh. Uh, yeah."

"Do you want me to fix your hair for you?" she offered.

Callie nodded, and Stef sat down behind her, taking her brush. "You know, we don't have to do this," she reminded her, brushing out her tangles.

"I know," Callie replied. "I don't know why I want to go. I just do."

"I understand that," Stef nodded. She smoothed Callie's hair out and began weaving it into a French braid.

"I don't know if I can forgive him yet," Callie suddenly confided.

"No one's asking you to forgive him, sweetheart," Stef told her, twisting a hair tie around the end of her braid.

"There's something I never told you," she said with a shudder.

"Would you like to tell me now?"

Callie nodded, turning to her. "The night I sneaked out, after Vico held me over the cliff, he told me he could break my neck and kill me."

A chill passed through Stef's body at Callie's confession. "Sweetheart, that is horrible."

"I was already so scared," she added. "After he put me down, my legs felt like Jell-o. He said it so calm. I don't think he was joking. He wanted to kill me."

"But he didn't," said Stef. "And he can never hurt you again, baby."

* * *

Before they entered the hospital, Stef took Callie's hand, rubbing her sweaty palm with her thumb. She knew how her daughter felt about hospitals, and she knew this trip would be especially difficult.

They went to the information desk, and Lena signed in, balancing a vase of flowers. "We'd like to visit Vico Cerar. Could you please tell us which room he's in?"

The secretary typed on her computer, studying the screen. "He's in room 3C. You can take elevator 2."

"Thank you," said Lena. She turned to her wife and daughter. "Come on."

They boarded the elevator, and took it to the third floor. Once they reached their stop, they began down the hall. Lena grabbed Callie's hand with her free hand, and Stef placed her hand on her back.

The found Vico's room easily, and knocked on the door. Mrs. Cerar answered. Behind her, Stef could see Vico laying in his hospital bed, hooked up to wires and monitors, with a bandage around his head.

Callie looked at Vico's mom timidly, and spoke the first words she had since they arrived. "Hello, Mrs. Cerar. May we come in?"

Mrs. Cerar gave her a stony glare, her eyes filled with bitterness and tears. "No, you may not. You have some nerve showing up here."

"Now," said Stef quietly, trying to diffuse the situation. "Callie feels terrible about what happened, and she wanted to visit."

"She should feel terrible," Mrs. Cerar snapped. "This is her fault." She gestured to her unconscious son.

"I'm sorry," Callie breathed, frightened. Her eyes grew wet with tears.

"Sorry isn't good enough," the older woman told her. "'Sorry won't help my son."

"Mrs. Cerar, we know you're hurting," said Lena patiently. "But it's unfair to blame Callie."

"There's nothing fair about this," Mrs. Cerar went on, her mascara running, darkening the circles under her eyes. "My son had a bright future, until she destroyed him with her lies." She turned back to Callie. "I hope you're satisfied, you little witch."

Fat tears spilled from Callie's dark eyes, silently rolling down her cheeks.

"Honey," said Stef, turning to Lena. "Why don't you take Callie outside."

Lena nodded, handing Stef the flowers. "Come on, sweetheart," she said, guiding Callie away.

"You're family is not welcome here," Mrs. Cerar told Stef. "I can't believe you had the audacity to even try."

Stef took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I can't imagine what you're going through. It must be horrible, and I'm so sorry it happened. But you have no right to hurt my daughter."

She looked into Mrs. Cerar's watery eyes, trying so feel some empathy. "We only came because Callie wanted to. Even after what your son did to her."

She handed her the bouquet of flowers. "These are for Vico." She turned, and walked away.

* * *

Stef found Lena and Callie outside the hospital, sitting on a bench surrounded by flowerbeds. Callie was leaning into Lena, her face buried in her chest, and her shoulders shaking. Lena was rocking her, trying to sooth her.

Stef sat down next to them. "Mama's here," she whispered, hugging Callie from behind. "We're here."

Callie looked back at her, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You didn't do anything wrong, love bug," Stef told her quietly, petting her hair.

"I feel like I did," she sniffled.

"But you didn't," she reassured her. "You had the right to speak up about the abuse. You had the right to protect yourself. And you didn't cause Vico's accident in any way. He was on drugs, honey. Whatever happened, he brought on himself."

"Mrs. Cerar is just hurting," Lena told her. "She needed someone to blame. People do that sometimes, when they need to lash out at someone."

"But you handled it so well," Stef added. "You were gracious and kind, even though Vico treated you so badly. That was very mature. And what Mrs. Cerar said to you was _completely _untrue. I don't want you ever to believe a word of it."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Callie and Brandon decided to take a walk down the beach. Callie had kicked off her sandals, and she carried them in her hand, letting the wet sand squish between her toes. It was the best feeling in the world.

"Mrs. Cerar blames me for the accident," she told Brandon.

"Why?" he asked. "You weren't driving the car."

She shrugged. "I guess she thinks he was driving recklessly because he was depressed about not graduating, and getting arrested and stuff. Brandon, I feel so guilty."

"Hey," he said, turning to face her. "You have nothing to feel guilty about. You're a good person, Callie. You're the nicest person I know."

"Maybe," she sighed, walking on.

"You are," he said, catching up with her. "You did the right thing, telling."

He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Just forget about him, Cal. You can't change what happened, so why worry about it? We only have a few more weeks of Summer. I want us to enjoy every minute of it."

Callie looked up at Brandon's crooked smile, and smiled herself. He always had a way of making her feel better. "I'm going to miss you when you leave," she told him.

"I'll miss you too," he replied quietly. "You're more than just my sister, Callie. You're my best friend."

"We can video chat," she told him. "And text."

"Yeah. We'll talk every day," he nodded. "And maybe moms will let you come visit me in New York?"

"I've never been to New York."

"Neither have I," said Brandon. "We could go to Central Park, and the museums, and visit the Statue of Liberty... we can be total tourists."

"I'm looking forward to it," she smiled.

He nodded. "Me too." He reached out and gave her a hug. "Let's go home."

As they walked back up the beach, Callie looked down at the sand. She used to love to go beach combing when she was little. Her mother would often take her, before she was old enough to start school, and they would talk and laugh, picking up any interesting things they found. When Callie was four, she put a piece of sea glass up her nose, and it got stuck. Her mother panicked and took her to the emergency room. Afterward, they went out for ice cream.

Recalling that memory, Callie found herself walking a few paces behind Brandon as they headed home. With her eyes to the ground, she began to spot shells, and little hunks of driftwood. She picked them up and stuck them in her pocket as she went on her way. By the time they reached the house, her pockets were heavy and soggy.

"Mariana?" she asked, finding her sister in their room. "Do you have any more of those wooden picture frames?"

"They're in the craft box in the games closet," Mariana replied.

"Thanks," said Callie. She hurried downstairs and dug through the craft box, until she found what she was looking for, as well as a hot glue gun. She took her supplies into the kitchen and spread out the shells, arranging them on the frame. When she was happy with the way it looked, and the glue was dry, she took the frame upstairs and hid it in her desk drawer. It would be a moving-out gift for Brandon, so he would think of home, and her, while he was away.

** To Be Continued- stay tuned for the last chapter!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25.

The day had finally come. The day Brandon would leave home for Julliard. Mike came mid-morning to pick him up for their trip. Callie watched, sadly, as he hugged and kissed everyone goodbye.

"Callie," he said, looking over at her.

"Yeah?"

He tossed her his car keys. "These are for you, kid."

"Thank you," she smiled, cradling the key ring in her hand. "This means a lot to me." She looked down shyly. "I have something for you, too."

He looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

She passed him the frame she'd made. It was already fit with a picture of the family, taken with her new camera.

Brandon held it carefully, smiling. "Thanks, Cal."

"It's nothing," she shrugged. "I stole the idea from Mariana and Jude."

"No," he insisted. "It's great, because you made it."

He reached out to hug her, pulling her to him. Callie was surprised when he burst into tears, and her heart ached. "I'm going to miss you so much," she told him, brushing her own tears away.

"I'm gonna miss you too," he told her. "But, hey- I'll be back for Thanksgiving."

She nodded. "I know."

"B., we've gotta run," Mike piped up, looking at his watch.

"Okay," she nodded. He gave Callie one last squeeze. "You're the oldest around here now, so... take care of everyone while I'm gone."

"I will."

"Bye, Cal. I love you."

"I love you too."

Brandon turned and gave Lena, then Stef one more hug. Then, he was gone.

"I finally have my own room again!" Jesus cheered. Brandon had told him he could take over his room while he was away.

Stef smiled through her tears. Then, silently, she went upstairs. Once she was alone in her room, she pulled Brandon's baby book from the shelf. Her hands shook as she opened it, and saw the black and white image of his sonogram. She wept as she looked over each and every picture of her little guy.

"Mama?"

She looked up to see Callie and Mariana in the doorway. "Hi, babies," she said, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

"Are you okay?" Callie asked, her face softening with concern.

"I will be," she nodded. "I'm just missing Brandon."

Callie and Mariana sat down at either side of her. Callie gently rubbed her back in slow circles, trying to comfort her while she cried. "What's that?" she asked. She rested her cheek against Stef's shoulder.

"Oh," she shrugged. "It's Brandon's baby book. You want to see it?"

"Sure," the girls agreed.

Stef turned back to the beginning, to the sonogram image.

"He looked like E.T.," Mariana observed. "Look at his big head!"

Stef laughed. "All babies look that way in the womb."

"I think he was cute," said Callie.

"He was adorable," she told her. "Look. This is the day he was born."

In the photo, Brandon was wearing a blue knit cap, wrapped in a blue blanket. Stef cradled him in her arms, and Mike stood next to them, looking proud. His hair was jet black, rather than the salt-and-pepper it was now. "Aww," Callie gushed.

"Here's another cute one," said Stef, pointing down.

Callie and Mariana both snorted. The photo showed baby Brandon, butt-naked, laying on a rug. "He had butt dimples," Callie giggled, pointing. "Wow. He was so chubby. He looked like a Cabbage Patch Kid."

Stef set the book aside, and put her arms around her daughters. "You know, I've always wanted a big family, ever since I was a little girl." She kissed them each on the cheek. "And I'm so glad I got the one I have."

"I want a big family someday," Callie told her. "Maybe six kids? I like even numbers."

Her mother laughed. "You're gonna have your hands full. I wouldn't mind having lots of grandchildren. You might change your mind about having six kids after you feel that pain, though."

Callie shrugged. "Maybe I'll adopt them?"

"You can do whatever you want," Stef told her. "It doesn't matter where your children come from as long as they're loved. You girls, and your brothers, didn't grow in my tummy like Brandon did. You grew in my heart."

Callie wrapped her arms around Stef's waist. "I love you, mama."

"Yeah," Mariana nodded. "I love you mom."

Stef hugged her girls, and slowly she began to feel better. "I love you too, babies."

* * *

Callie lay awake, staring at the dark ceiling. She'd been tossing and turning for over an hour, trying to fall asleep, but as hard as she tried, she couldn't drift off. This was a problem, because she had to get up early the next morning, for her first day of college classes. She couldn't help but feel nervous, even if she wasn't leaving home. It was big step. And even though she'd started at new schools so many times in her life, it was always scary.

Finally, she gave up, and slipped out of bed. She went to her moms' room, and let herself in.

"Mama?" she whispered quietly, rubbing Stef' arm. "Mama, wake up."

"Hmm, what is it, baby?" Stef mumbled, her eyes half-closed.

"I couldn't sleep," she explained. "And you told me I could wake you up, so I just thought-"

"No, no. It's fine, honey," she yawned, now more alert. "Get in."

Callie climbed up on the bed, and settled herself between her moms.

Stef brushed back her hair and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, love bug."

"Goodnight," said Callie. She curled up on her side, and finally, she fell asleep.

* * *

When Callie woke up, the first thing she noticed was that her moms were gone. The second thing she noticed was the smell of bacon. She hurried to her room and got dressed, then went downstairs.

"Good morning, angel," said Stef. "Sit down. We made you a big breakfast."

"Thanks," she said, sitting down at the table. The twins and Jude were apparently still asleep. It was still Summer vacation for them.

She poured herself a glass of juice, and Stef set a plate in front of her. There was bacon, of course, as well as waffles and eggs. He stomach growled, and she picked up a piece of crisp bacon and bit into it.

After breakfast, she grabbed her new backpack, ready to leave.

"Here's your lunch, sweetheart," said Lena, with a smile. She handed Callie a brown paper bag. "I guess I'm not through packing lunches for you, yet."

"Thank you," she replied, tucking the bag in her backpack. She wrapped her arms around Lena gave her a kiss. "Bye."

"Good luck, honey," said Lena. "See you later!"

"Thanks," Callie smiled. She turned to Stef and gave her a hug. "Bye," she said, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Stef returned the kiss with tears in her eyes. "Drive carefully, yes?"

"Of course," she nodded.

"And don't talk to strangers."

"You mean everyone?" she teased.

"You know what I mean," said Stef. "Text me when you get there?"

"I will," she promised.

"And by 'when you get there,' I don't mean when you're _almost_ there. I mean when the car is safely parked. Okay?"

"Okay, mama," she laughed. "Listen. I'll be fine. You can trust me. Responsible one, remember?"

Stef nodded. "I have every faith in you, honey."

"I really have to go now," she told them. She gave Stef another quick hug. "I love you, mama."

"I love you too, baby."

She gave Lena one more hug before leaving. "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, sweets."

She waved before going out the door. "Bye."

* * *

Callie sat down at a table in the cafeteria. She'd seen a few kids she knew from Anchor Beach in the halls, but they weren't really friends. All around her, kids talked and laughed as if they already knew each other. But for her, it was a sea of unfamiliar faces.

She opened her lunch bag, and by habit, the first thing she grabbed was her napkin. Her eyes welled with tears when she saw that Lena had taken the time to jot down a note, like she always had:

_Callie_,  
_ Hope your first day is going great! If you're feeling stressed, try eat your dessert first. It will make you feel better :)._

_ Have fun and be safe!_

-_Mom_

She smiled, and dug through her back until she found the Rice Krispies treat Lena had packed. She tore the wrapper and bit into it, her mouth filling with sweetness.

"Can I sit here?"

Callie looked up to see a girl standing in front of her. "Sure," she shrugged. "Go ahead."

The girl sat down. She was about Callie's age, with long brown hair. "I don't really know anyone here," she apologized. "I feel kind of lost."

"Me too," Callie confided. "My name is Callie, by the way."

"I'm Leah," the girl replied. "Nice to meet you. What's your major?"

"Human Services," she told her. "What's yours?"

"Early Childhood Ed. I want to be a preschool teacher, eventually."

"Cool," she nodded. "That sounds fun."

"I love little kids," Leah replied. "I have two little sisters at home."

"I have three brothers and a sister," Callie told her.

Leah nodded. Then, she smiled as she noticed Callie's note. "That's sweet."

"It's something my mom always does," Callie explained, blushing.

"I think it's cool," the other girl told her. "Your mom sounds nice."

"She is."

"We should hang out some time," Leah suddenly piped up.

Callie smiled. "Yeah. We really should."

* * *

Callie pulled in the driveway, and went through the yard to the back door. The kitchen was lit up bright. She could see the activity inside, as she headed to the porch; Jude and Mariana setting the table, and Lena making dinner. The scent drifted through the screen door as she came up the back steps, and her mouth watered.

"Hey, everybody!" she called, coming into the kitchen. She planted a kiss on Jude's forehead.

"Hey, honey," said Lena. "How was your first day?"

"It was good," Callie nodded. "I actually made a friend. And I like my teachers."

"That's great!" her mother replied, sweeping her hair back. "I'm glad you liked it."

"When's dinner?" Jesus asked, coming into the kitchen. "My stomach is digesting itself."

"We're having lasagna and salad," Lena told him. "We'll be eating in a few. We're just waiting on mom."

Minutes later, Stef came in through the back door. "Hi there, my babies!" She gave Lena a kiss, then hurried to Callie. "So, how was your day, slug-a-bug?"

"It was fun," she replied. "I liked it. I have a new friend. Leah."

"Cool," Stef nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. You should invite her for dinner sometime."

"I will."

Stef reached out to Callie and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad you decided to stay with us, sweetheart," she told her as she held her. "I love you so much. And this house would seem way too empty with both you and B. gone."

Callie wrapped her arms around her mother even tighter. "I love you too."

"Dinner's ready," Lena told them.

Everyone crowded at the table to sit down, and began serving themselves. Brandon's chair was noticeably empty, like the space left by a missing tooth. Callie felt a pang of sadness as she looked at it. Then, she turned away, as Jude set a square of lasagna on her plate. "This smells awesome," she breathed.

"Mom, look how much dressing Jesus is putting on his salad," Mariana whined.

"Save some for the rest of us, buddy," Lena gently scolded.

"Eww! He put ranch dressing on his lasagna," Jude laughed.

"It's delicious this way," Jesus told him, through a mouthful of food. "You should try it, man."

Jude pretended like he was gagging, and accidentally bumped his glass, spilling red kool-aid across the table. "Oops."

Stef sighed, grabbing a dish cloth. "No big deal, kiddo. We can clean it up." She began sopping up the mess.

Callie couldn't help but smile as she ate. Their house was full to the brim with kids, noise, and chaos, and privacy was nonexistent. But the house was also full of warmth, comfort, and a family who loved each other more than anything. And after a long day, there was nothing like coming home to it all.

** The End- thanks for reading!**


End file.
